Healing in Hoenn
by KokoroEcho
Summary: 1st story in series. Logan Stephenson has competed in both the Unova and Alola leagues but has come up short both times. Now, he chooses to go to Hoenn but soon starts experiencing culture shock. Yurie Kawahara, on the other hand, is brand new to owning Pokemon and doesn't quite get the point of it. She's more interested in the food of the land than battling.
1. Water

**CHAPTER 1 UPDATED TO REFLECT CURRENT WRITING ABILITIES ON DECEMBER 21ST 2019**

**Chapter 1 - Water**

* * *

"Hey, kid. We're about 5 minutes out from arriving in Petalburg. Don't forget anything when you leave," a voice called from above, echoing off of the steel walls of the small boat.

Logan grabbed his dark blue bag and put his black sneakers on before opening the ship door to get a good look at the Hoenn region for the first time. "Water," he said. "Water everywhere." He wiped sweat off his brow, pushing his wet dark brown hair out of his eyes, and then looked up towards the sun. "And it's hot. Why is it so hot?"

"That's the Hoenn region for you. Hot year long round. It also rarely snows. Maybe twice a year. Won't collect though," the captain said. He reached into his bag and pulled a small towel with Wailmer print on it. "Take this. You're gonna need a towel to wipe your sweat. Take it. I haven't used this one. Brand new. Promise. Usually give 'em out anyways."

"Thanks," Logan said as he gingerly took the towel from the captain. _That was a lot of unnecessary information. __I'll have to wash it first just in case._

The captain worked his way up a ladder and to the wheel. "So, what are you doing in Hoenn anyways? You're young enough to be a trainer, and you dress like one, but I noticed that you don't have Pokémon on you. And you're not bringing enough luggage to be moving, so what's going on? Business?"

Logan smiled. "You sure are curious."

"That's something you'll have to get used to. Being an outsider, you'll get a lot of questions. Figured I'd break the ice though."

"I see."

"Also, people from Hoenn are naturally curious about that kind of stuff, I think. Not everyday someone comes here. People generally go to Kanto or Johto, ya know?"

"I guess I'll just get used to a lot of questions in that case."

"So, what is it?"

"What?"

"What are you doing in Hoenn?"

"Oh yeah." Logan paused, unsure of how to answer. "I have a lot of reasons. But, for now, I'll just say that I need a fresh start."

"Pokémon Trainer?"

"I was."

The captain didn't respond. He kept his gaze forward towards the dock. "Arriving soon."

"Hoenn."

* * *

"Hello! Welcome to the Petalburg Pokémon Center! How can I help you?" asked Nurse Joy. She looked different than what Logan was used to, but she had a familiar smile and pink hair. The Nurse Joy that he had seen up to this point were all familiar in their looks, as they were family, but being in a completely different part of the world, they were bound to look different.

"My name is Logan. Logan Stephenson. I'm from the-"

"Found you! You're scheduled for one night, but you can always extend that if necessary."

"Neat."

"And real quick. It says right here that you need to contact Professor Juniper once you arrive."

Logan sighed. "Already? I just arrived and she's already having me do things."

"It's just a phone call," Joy said nervously.

Logan looked at her and sighed before scratching the back of his head and letting out an exasperated huff.

"You can use the phone over there." Joy pointed in the direction of what appeared to be an arcade cabinet with a large television screen and a clunky phone. "I'm sure she'll be glad to hear from you."

Logan grabbed his keys for the room. "Thank you." He walked over to the telephone machine and typed in Juniper's number. After a few rings, they were connected.

Juniper's face flashed onto the screen. "Hello, Logan! Good to see that you made it safe!"

"Howdy."

"How was the trip?"

"Long."

"How is Hoenn so far?"

"Hot."

"That's to be expected."

"Yeah. What's up?"

"Just wanted to make sure that you made it okay. Aunts will worry like that."

"I traveled around Unova and Alola for two years and we only talked three times, maybe. And one of those times was when you gave me Tepig," Logan replied, slightly bothered. "So, what's _actually_ up?"

"Hoenn is so far, so I worry!" she said before taking a small pause. "But since you're there, I do have a favor to ask of you."

"Of course you do."

"Feel free to say no."

"You know I want to, but I won't."

"Great!" Juniper replied with a wide smile. "Two towns away is a place called Littleroot Town. My colleague, Professor Birch, lives there. We studied together years ago. He's an odd guy, but I think you'll like him. I was wondering if you could go and visit him for me."

Logan glared. "A visit? Is he lonely?"

"He said he wanted to meet you! And since you've got no plans, I figured it couldn't hurt!"

Logan was silent.

"I'm sure that it'll be worth your time! Unless you have better things to do?"

"I wanted to go visit Mao, but that can wait. I guess I'll go."

"Great! Call me when you get there!"

"No."

"And, Logan."

"What?"

"Look who it is!" Juniper said before messing with the camera a bit to reveal various Pokémon standing behind her. "They wanted to say hi!"

Logan paused. "Emboar, Zorua, Fraxure..."

"I can send them to you any time, ya know?"

"Emboar!" The Fire-type said with a smile.

Logan closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. But for now, I think this is best. Juniper, when I get to Littleroot, I'll contact you." With that, he ended the call.

Logan spent the night in the Pokémon Center, and woke up early the next day. The morning was considerably cooler than the day as expected. It felt familiar to Logan, like a Unovan summer.

The afternoon was a different story.

"Why is it so hot?!" Logan cried out. He had made it roughly three hours into Route 102. The Hoenn heat was starting to get to him, and his dark brown hair was once again drenched with sweat and sticking to his forehead. "What did I do to deserve this?!"

Logan pulled out the blue towel that he received from the captain. He washed it the night prior, but he was still nervous about using a towel received from a stranger. He wiped the sweat off his face and placed the towel on his head. He removed his dark blue vest to find his white undershirt soaked through with sweat.

"This is ridiculous!" He suddenly stopped walking when he saw a group of small, black Pokémon all huddled together, making quite a bit of noise.

"Poochyena, I think." He inched closer to see what was causing such a commotion.

The group had formed a circle and in the middle, two Poochyena were battling one another. One looked already incredibly tired, while the other one was clearly dominating the fight. The tired one attempted a lunge of sorts, but it was easily dodged, and the faster of the two answered with his own lunge, knocking his opponent to the ground. The stronger of the two Poochyena slowly walked to the weaker one and placed his paw on his opponent's neck, preparing to deal a final blow.

"That's enough," Logan said calmly.

This startled the group of Pokémon. They all turned towards Logan.

"You've won. You've proven your point."

Two of the Poochyena that made up the circle started to growl and lower their heads, anticipating orders to strike.

"I probably shouldn't poke the bear. I read that you're all great pack hunters," Logan said. He took a deep breath. "But I'm going to ask you to step away from that weak one."

The group of Poochyena looked at the stronger Poochyena from before. His gaze towards Logan was unwavering.

"You won. Walk away."

It lifted its paw from the defeated Poochyena's neck, barked at the group, and they all slowly retreated into the forest. The leader Poochyena, didn't once take his gaze off of Logan until they were a safe distance away.

Logan let out a sigh of relief and ran to the fallen Poochyena. He knelt over to pick him up, but suddenly the Pokémon attempted to bite, snapping his dangerous maw down near Logan's fingertips. Logan swiftly retreated his arm and glared.

"I'm gonna ask you to not do that."

The Pokémon let out a soft, pitiful coo before passing out. Logan removed the towel from his head and wrapped it around Poochyena.

"It's about an hour left of walking to Oldale." Logan looked at the sun. "I'll try to get you there sooner though." With that, Logan started to run as fast as he could.

Logan arrived in Oldale roughly 20 minutes later. He frantically looked for the Pokémon Center, seeing the building's red roof from afar.

"So, close." He took a deep breath. "But so far. And so hot!" He began his stride again, blowing past people on the street who shot him confused looks. Within a few moments, he arrived at the Pokémon Center and rushed through the automatic doors. He was met with a baffled Nurse Joy at the counter.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Pooch-fight-please-" he managed to choke out.

Nurse Joy nodded. "Okay! I'll take care of 'em!"

Logan handed over the Poochyena. "Thank you," he said before whiting out.

* * *

"Professor Birch, have you prepared the Pokémon for today?"

The professor looked up from his stack of papers. "That's today?!"

His assistant sighed. "I figured that was the case. I'll get them ready for presentation."

"Thank you, Tania. You should be running this operation." He then returned his focus back to his papers, and the lab got silent for a few small moments.

"What are you researching?"

Birch laughed. "It's something that's relatively new. But there's a chance that some of our little Pokémon here might have a hidden evolution of sorts. I'm hearing about it from the Kalos region. They're calling it Mega Evolution."

"Sounds interesting."

"It definitely is. I've invited a strong trainer to our lab to see if they can help us with some of the research." Birch smiled. "Who are the candidates for today?"

"I wanted to bring that up. One of our candidates, Tokimura Yudai, had to pull out. His mom isn't yet comfortable with him traveling on his own. He's got problems with allergies, and she's not willing to take the risk."

"That means that one of the Pokémon will go unpicked," Birch said with a sigh. "And the other two?"

"Kato Yuta, the top-ranked student we've had in years. Scored 100% on most of our tests. He excels at battle and strategy. He also knows a fair share about Pokémon in general: a walking Pokédex, so to speak."

"Anything he doesn't excel at?"

Tania laughed. "He's not good at making friends. I think he's shy and doesn't handle it well."

"I see. And the last candidate?"

* * *

"Yurie! Wake up! It's already noon!" Yurie's mom screamed from downstairs. "You gotta be at the professor's lab in less than an hour!"

A thin little girl, now aged 10 years old, stirred in her bed. She pulled her blanket over her head, but her long dark brown hair still stuck out. "I don't want to wake up…"

Her mom opened the door, letting the light make its way into her pitch black room. "Don't you want your first Pokémon?"

Yurie sighed and from under the blankets said, "If I'm honest, I'm indifferent. Battling is so aggressive and kind of disgusting."

"It's not all about battling, ya know?" She grabbed the blanket and pulled it from Yurie. "Now get up!"

"No!"

* * *

"Kawahara Yurie. She's a bit lazy, and if I'm to be blunt, sir-"

"Please."

"-a moron."

Birch laughed. "Even morons could use at least one Pokémon. Someone took a chance on this moron many years ago, and now we're here."

* * *

Three hours had passed since Logan fainted in the Pokémon Center. He woke up in a bed with one of the worst headaches he had ever had. A large and plump pink Pokémon, Chansey, sat next to him. When she saw that he had woke, she handed over a bottle of water.

"Thanks." He grabbed the bottle and took a big gulp of it

"Chansey!" the Pokémon cried out before leaving the room.

Logan tried to stand, but he stumbled. He took another drink of the water, and tried to balance himself by using the post on the bed. His vision was still blurred, and the light from the hallway felt as though it stabbed him in the eyes.

Nurse Joy entered the room with a worried look on her face. "Don't push yourself too much. And drink water! You'll die of heatstroke."

"How's the Poochyena?" Logan asked.

"Nothing I haven't seen before. You should take better care of your Pokémon though."

Logan took another drink. "Not my Pokémon."

Poochyena walked into the room, holding the Wailmer towel in his mouth. His tail was wagging vigorously, and he looked up at Logan with a fresh glimmer in his eyes. He let out a happy bark.

"Gonna try to bite me again?" He took note of the towel, now soaked with what looked to be Poochyena slobber. "Looks like I have more laundry to do."

"Why didn't you catch him and then bring him in? Would have been easier on both of you probably."

Logan smiled sarcastically, and said with an unfounded sense of pride, "I don't have any Poké Balls." He took one more drink of the water, finishing the bottle. "Where can I get a pack?"

Two hours later, Logan found himself on Route 101. The wild Poochyena had followed him this far out although Logan had encouraged otherwise. Anytime that Logan would look back, Poochyena would return the smile with his tongue dangling from the side of mouth.

"You didn't have to come with me, ya know? I'm a tough guy. I can handle myself."

The Poochyena barked and wagged his tail.

Logan smiled. "Oh yeah? You think I need a bodyguard?"

Poochyena barked again and ran ahead of Logan.

"Eye for an eye. I get it. Regardless, thanks for the company, I guess." Logan took a swig of water.

Suddenly, Logan and Poochyena could hear a voice calling from afar. The two stopped, and Poochyena took a defensive battle position which Logan couldn't help but laugh at.

"Pound!" the voice commanded.

The duo looked over to find a green Pokémon swinging its tail into a scruffy-looking brown Pokémon. The brown Pokémon fell over, and not soon after, a Poké Ball connected with it, absorbing it with the bright red light. The Poké Ball rocked for a few moments before letting out a soft _ding_. The boy who had thrown the ball retrieved it, and pulled out his Pokédex.

"Not too strong. Probably not worth keeping around," he said calmly. He noticed Logan staring at him. Logan thought for a moment that the boy's eyes had widened, but maybe he was just imagining it. "Hello." The boy had lengthy pitch black hair and wore a short-sleeved green shirt with a hood.

"New trainer, I take it? It looks like you've made off with a strong Treecko," Logan said with a smile.

"Thank you. I believe that I chose correctly," he replied. He noticed the Poochyena. "I have yet to have an official battle though. My classmates either dropped out or weren't worth the effort."

Logan sighed. He knew what the boy was hinting at. "This isn't really my Pokémon."

"I see," the boy replied. He appeared disappointed.

Poochyena ran out in front of Logan and barked. Logan paused for a moment, took in a deep breath, and then forced a smile. "But it appears that Poochyena wants to have at it. If you're okay, I'd like to have a battle."

The boy smiled. "Yes."

* * *

"Yurie, he's so cute!" Yurie's mom screamed out while picking up Torchic. "You definitely picked the best Pokémon you could!"

Yurie glanced at Torchic. "Okay, but what now? I leave? I go on some great adventure and beat the Elite Four? I challenge the champion of Hoenn? I go out and get lost on Mt. Silver?"

Yurie's mother clicked her tongue and shot an angry look at her daughter. "That was someone's daughter, Yurie."

Yurie avoided her mother's gaze. "Sorry."

"You can do whatever you'd like. You're given at least one year to go see the entire Hoenn region! Do with it whatever you'd like."

"Couldn't I have done that without a Pokémon?"

"Your Pokémon is there to keep you company, Yurie! It can get lonely on the road," she replied. "Also, worse-case scenario, Torchic is there to protect you." She put Torchic down in front of Yurie.

Yurie sighed. "Seems a bit selfish, don't you think?"

"Torchic!" the Pokémon cried out happily.

"I don't need sass from you," Yurie replied.

Yurie's mother handed over Yurie's white backpack. "Everyone does this. I did it. Your father did it. Your brother and sister are on their own adventures. Everyone does it. Go out, make friends, memories, and take a lot of pictures!"

Yurie hesitantly took her bag. She hated taking pictures.

"And if one year passes and you're not happy, you can always come back and help me run the flower shop, alright?"

"Alright."

Yurie's mother gave her a hug. "Now go find what makes you happy!"

Yurie turned and started walking towards the door.

"Wait! I forgot!" Yurie's mother ran to the back. She reemerged holding two white flowers. "Daffodils! They symbolize a new beginning!"

Yurie took them. "You want me to carry around flowers?"

"Plant them somewhere along your journey, sweetheart."

"Got it," Yurie replied. She took a small whiff of the flower, taking in its sweet scent, and smiled. "Thank you, mom. Let's go, Torchic."

With that, the duo were out the door.

* * *

"Alright, Poochyena. This will be our first battle together. You think you'll listen to me?" Logan asked.

Poochyena smiled and let out a bark.

"I believe you. That's good to hear," Logan responded.

"We must not lose!" the boy said. Treecko responded by leaning forward, preparing to attack.

Logan laughed. "Calm down, kid. We'll start." He didn't know Poochyena's attacks off the top of his head, but he had to make due with what he could assume Poochyena would have. "Poochyena, use Tackle!"

Poochyena let out a howl and then dashed forward.

"Dodge, and then use Pound!" the boy responded.

Treecko dashed quickly to the left and then rammed his tail into Poochyena's side. Poochyena yelped and fell over but quickly recovered and prepared to attack again.

"Treecko, use Quick Attack!"

Treecko bolted forward quickly, but Logan had a quick response.

"Sand Attack!" he commanded.

Poochyena dug his paws into the ground and flung sand into the air. It collided with Treecko, making the Pokémon stop in its tracks.

"Now, Tackle!"

Poochyena drove his body into Treecko once again, knocking the Grass-type over. Treecko quickly recovered and promptly waited for its trainer's command.

"Quick Attack again!" the boy said.

"Then we'll use Sand Attack!"

The Pokémon repeated what they had done before, and it appeared like the results would have been similar, but Logan's opponent was ready.

"Dodge, and then use Absorb!" the boy said.

Treecko jumped into the air and spun to avoid the sand. Upon his descent, he latched onto Poochyena and began to absorb energy from the Dark-type. Poochyena let out a pained yelp.

"Not good," Logan muttered. "Try Howl!"

Poochyena stopped screeching and then start to howl. Treecko released his attack, and backed away a bit, observing as Poochyena's body was surrounded with a light red aura.

"No matter. Let's go for Pound!"

Treecko dove forward and twisted his body again, swinging his tail.

"Bite!" Logan commanded.

Poochyena opened his mouth and bit down onto Treecko's tail.

"Got 'em!" Logan said.

"Fight through the pain!" the boy ordered.

The Treecko stopped screeching and glared at Poochyena.

"Use Pound!"

Treecko jumped into the air, Poochyena still attached. He twisted his body and flung Poochyena towards the ground, smashing the Pokémon hard into their makeshift battlefield. When the dust had settled, both Pokémon barely stood, their legs shaking aggressively.

"Poochyena, you okay?" Logan asked.

Poochyena let out a battle cry and smiled, determined to carry on.

"Fantastic!" Logan responded, but his smile soon faded once Poochyena collapsed from exhaustion. Treecko soon followed, falling onto his opponents back.

The trainers both ran to their Pokémon. Logan knelt down and softly pet both of the creatures on their heads.

"You did great, Treecko. Next time, we'll win," the boy said as he stood above them. He absorbed his Pokémon into its ball.

Logan picked up and held Poochyena in his arms. "Not bad, buddy." He turned his attention to the boy. "And you won this one. Poochyena fell first, so you and Treecko are the victors."

The boy shook his head and said, "I only want to accept victory if it's a total victory. Treecko fell at the end, so I'm considering this a draw. I look forward to any of our future battles."

Logan smiled. "So, strict."

"I assume you're in the Hoenn region to take on the league?" the boy asked.

Logan shook his head. "Nope. I'm here to rest."

The kid looked surprised. "That's disappointing. I was hoping I'd get to battle you again."

There was a small awkward silence as the boy seemed to be looking for the right words to say.

"I've watched your battles on TV, and it'd be an honor for us to go at it at full power someday," he blurted out. But, he was unable to make eye contact with Logan.

Logan was taken aback. "So, you've seen my battles?"

"Yep. Eliminated in the semi-finals of both the Unova and Alola leagues."

"Okay, well. You don't have to remind me."

"But you were always really fun to watch. My name is Kato Yuta. You can call me Yuta. I'm going to become the Champion of Hoenn."

Logan smiled. "That's a lofty goal, Yuta. I hope that you'll make it."

"I'd like another chance to battle you when I've created my team and mastered my skills," Yuta said with a deadpan expression on his face. "I want to prove myself against one of Unova's best."

Logan nodded. "I can't promise you anything, but if we ever see each other again, and the circumstances are right, I'll battle you, Yuta."

"Thank you." Yuta turned away. "Jah. See you later."

With that, the two were off on separate paths, Yuta towards Oldale Town and Logan towards Littleroot.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**

Hello. Thank you for taking the time to read this. For a little bit of background, I used to write a lot of Pokémon fanfiction for this site about 10 years ago with a partner. We eventually stopped writing because of college and such, but I currently have a lot of free time, so I figured I'd try writing Pokémon fanfiction again. I find it very relaxing.

This story is sort of based on true events. I don't want to spoil anything, but essentially, I moved to Kyushu, Japan (Hoenn is based off of Kyushu), and I'm basing a lot of what happens to Logan (and Yurie) off of my real world experiences here. For example, Kyushu is incredibly hot (and so I'd imagine that Hoenn would be too). Also, Logan's reasonings for coming to Hoenn will mirror why I originally moved to Japan. Small things, but yeah. I hope you enjoy what I do with this.

One thing that I am curious about doing is making some of the characters from Hoenn speak Japanese. Just small phrases. I wouldn't write out whole conversations in Japanese, because that'd be unfair. For example, Yuta said "Jah. See you later." which is a play on Japanese "Jya. Matane." (Okay. See you later.) Is this okay, or would it annoy people?

Jah. See you later.

A QUICK NOTE ON POKEMON CAPITALIZATION

I understand that there's this little war going on within the community, and I just want to say that I don't want to be apart of any of it. I've decided to capitalize the way that I want to. I own countless official Pokemon storybooks that I read to kids, and they capitalize Pokemon names and such. I don't care if you do or don't. Don't waste your time reviewing that aspect of my story. It will fall on deaf ears.

Be kind. Rewind.


	2. Motsunabe

**Chapter 2 - Motsunabe**

* * *

Logan arrived in Littleroot Town a little bit in the afternoon. He had chugged down every last drop of his water, and sweat had soaked his shirt, making it heavy. As soon as he arrived, he and Poochyena looked for the professor's laboratory, which wasn't hard to find. Logan was familiar with how they looked by this point, seeing as how he had grown up around Juniper's. He knocked on the door, and within a few moments Tania answered the door.

"Hello?" Tania said.

"Uh. Hey. I'm Logan. I was called here by Professor Birch."

"You must be that really strong trainer," Tania wondered out loud. "You're soaking wet."

"Yeah. Turns out, Hoenn is really hot."

Tania opened the door. "C'mon in."

Logan walked into the laboratory while Tania quickly left to go to a different room. He took a look around the lab, noticing all of the papers strewn about. Tania came back, holding a white towel and a glass of water.

"Here you go," she said while handing it over. "I've told Birch that you're here. He'll be with you in just a bit." She looked down at Poochyena. "Does your Pokémon want anything?"

Logan looked at Poochyena. "You hungry, dude?"

Poochyena nodded, and Tania exited the room once more. Logan looked over the various papers on the floor. Each paper was its own little bit of research, and he couldn't make heads or tails of how any of them connected.

"Logan?" a deep voice asked.

Logan looked up from the papers and gave a half smile. "That's me."

Birch approached him with his hand out. Logan shook it. Both of the males' hands were soaked with sweat. This made Logan incredibly uncomfortable, but Birch seemed unfazed.

"You're soaked," Birch said.

"Yeah." Logan responded.

Tania entered the room, and Birch grabbed the Pokémon food from her. He knelt down and put the bowl on the ground. "Would you like to join us for dinner? We're having motsunabe. Do you know?"

"I have no idea what that is," Logan responded. His stomach growled. "But I'll take it."

"Good! If you want to take a shower, we have one here. I imagine that it'd feel good to be in a fresh pair of clothes."

"Cool."

Logan took a quick shower and even gave Poochyena a short bath. He took the Wailmer towel from before and put it in the laundry with his sweat soaked clothes. Within 30 minutes, both of them were refreshed and sitting at Birch's dinner table.

"So, Hoenn, eh?" Birch asked while sitting down. "A lot of people choose Kanto or Johto when first coming to this side of the world."

"I heard they were loud places. Wanted to go somewhere a little bit more relaxing," Logan answered.

Birch smiled. "Well, I'm glad that you came here, Logan!"

Before Birch could continue, he heard a knock on the door. Tania stood up to answer it, and within a few moments she had returned with a woman that Logan had not recognized. She was holding a bouquet of white flowers.

"Yuriko!" Birch said. "What brings you here? Come on! Sit down! We're about to have motsunabe!"

"I just wanted to bring by some flowers. Yurie is finally off on her journey, and I think that being around the empty house right now is giving me anxiety. That's all three kids out on their journeys now." She took a seat.

"This is Yuriko! She's Littleroot Town's flower lady!" Birch said.

Logan nodded. "Flowers are nice. My name is Logan."

"It's nice to meet you, Logan!" Yuriko said.

"Yuriko's daughter just got her first Pokémon today. She's now off on her own journey," Birch explained. "And as for Logan, he's a trainer from the Unova region! He's one of the best trainers I've ever seen."

"I'm okay at best," Logan said.

"Unova? That's so far!" Yuriko exclaimed. "I'm sure your mother misses you."

"Yeah."

"Care to join us? We have more than enough!" Birch said.

Yuriko nodded. "If it'd be okay, I'd love to join you. Also, here!" She placed the flowers on the table. "Daffodils to represent new beginnings!"

"They're perfect for a day like today!" Birch said. "Now, let's get started!" He leaned forward and turned on a small stove like machine that was placed on the table. The broth in the pot on top of it slowly came to a boil. Tania brought various vegetables and meats to the table. A lot of it Logan had never seen before. But before Birch could put any of the food inside the pot, there was another knock at the door.

"Well, we seem to be pretty popular today," Birch said.

Tania stood up to walk to the door, but stopped when the mystery person entered the kitchen.

"Yurie?" Birch said.

Yuriko stood up. "What's wrong, honey?"

"Mom?" Yurie exclaimed. "I wasn't expecting you to be here."

"This is the new trainer we were just talking about," Tania explained to Logan.

"Yeah, I figured with the whole 'mom' thing," Logan retorted. He quickly realized how rude he may have sounded. "Sorry."

Yurie put her hands behind her back and looked bothered. "I, um, I…"

"What?" Yuriko asked.

"I came to return my Torchic. I don't think I want to travel," she explained.

"You're returning your Torchic?" Birch said. "That's unheard of."

Yurie nodded. "Yeah. This traveling thing isn't for me, and we don't really gel well. Our conversations don't really go anywhere." She noticed Logan. "Oh. Hello."

"Sup."

Birch sighed. "How about we discuss this after dinner? Motsunabe?"

Yurie took a look at the food and smiled. "That sounds nice."

The group all sat down together. Birch began to place the various meats and vegetables into the pot. They boiled and when cooked thoroughly, Birch placed them into individual small plates and handed them to his guests. Logan took a bite of the meat. It was chewy, but the taste was something Logan had never experienced before.

"How is it?" Birch asked. All of the others stared at Logan.

Logan smiled. "It's delicious."

Birch sighed with relief. "That's good to know! A lot of foreigners don't really like motsunabe!"

"So, Logan. Unova? What's it like there?" Yuriko asked.

"It's a lot cooler than Hoenn," Logan answered.

"Birch said that you're one of the best trainers he had ever seen. Did you compete in the league?" Yuriko asked.

Birch nodded and answered before Logan could. "Logan competed in both the Unova and Alola leagues. He made it to the semi-finals in both leagues. I honestly think that you could have won though."

"Yeah. One small slip up is all it takes," Logan said quietly.

"You competed in the leagues?" Yurie asked.

Logan nodded.

"What's it like? Is it fun being a trainer?" she asked.

Logan nodded. "I really enjoyed it." He looked at Poochyena who was now enjoying his own small bowl of motsunabe with Yurie's Torchic.

"I think it seems a bit barbaric," Yurie said. "We make Pokémon fight for our entertainment. I'm not sure how I feel about it."

Logan chuckled. "You remind me of a certain group back in Unova."

"I just don't know how I feel about having Pokémon fight for me. It doesn't feel right," Yurie said.

"A lot of Pokémon want to fight, I think," Logan answered. "It's instinctual. It's not to try to kill other Pokémon or anything. It's merely something that they do in the wild. For example, this Poochyena was raring to go into battle with me as soon as it had the opportunity to. It's not even my Pokémon."

"That Poochyena isn't yours?" Tania asked. "But you two already seem so close."

"It's a bit of a story, but no. We have had one battle together though," Logan explained. He turned to Yurie. "And Pokémon don't have to battle. Some just want human companions and friends."

Yurie groaned. "But all it says is 'Torchic.' How am I supposed to communicate with it?"

Logan laughed. "You may not be able to understand what it's saying, but you can probably understand what it's feeling."

"So, you want to return your Torchic?" Yuriko asked her daughter. "You don't even want to give it a day?"

Yurie nodded. "It's not meant for me."

"I guess that'll be beneficial for the Mudkip that was left out," Birch said. "At least he'll have one of his old friends back."

"Thanks for understanding," Yurie said.

"I don't understand," Logan said. He stood up and knelt down to pet Torchic. "Torchic clearly feels comfortable with you. Starter Pokémon are generally okay with their trainers right off the bat, but Torchic seems incredibly happy."

"How can you tell?" Yurie asked. She stood up and walked over to the Pokémon. Torchic looked up at her.

"It's in Torchic's eyes," Logan answered. "And he overall seems very energetic. This Torchic wants to go on an adventure."

Tania smiled. "And now that you've mentioned it, Torchic does seem a bit different than before. Only a few hours with you, Yurie, and his demeanor has changed."

Yurie looked back at Tania and then her mom. "Really? I don't see it."

Logan picked up Torchic and handed him over to Yurie. Torchic put his head on Yurie's chest. "Torchic," it said sweetly.

Yurie took a moment. "Okay, maybe I see it."

Yuriko put her hands together. "Think about it just a little bit longer, honey."

The group quickly finished dinner and then went out into Birch's backyard where they could watch the sunset. Poochyena and Torchic were joined by the aforementioned Mudkip, and the three Pokémon played by a small fire that Birch had built.

"Let me show you how we make s'mores Hoenn style!" Birch said. He lifted his graham crackers, poured a bit of chocolate syrup on both of them, and then squeezed a lightly toasted marshmallow between them. He handed it over to Logan.

"Yeah, no. That's wrong on many levels," Logan said. He took a bite. "Not bad, but not a s'more, professor."

"How do you make them in Unova?" Yurie asked.

"Well, we don't use chocolate syrup. You use a candy bar. And also, the marshmallow needs to be a little bit more burnt. Some people like them to be black, but we call those people insane," Logan answered.

Yurie laughed.

"So, Logan. Let me get to what I asked you here for," Birch said while stuffing his version of a s'more in his mouth. "I've recently started studying a new form of Pokémon evolution. Something that they've studied in the Kalos region for awhile now."

"A new form of Pokémon evolution? Like, branched evolution?" Logan asked.

"No no. This evolution is not permanent much like, let's say, a Pikachu into Raichu," Birch explained. "This evolution is more temporary and generally only used during battles to give the Pokémon a certain boost. They're calling it Mega Evolution."

"There's not a more scientific name for it?"

Birch chuckled. "Now, I was hoping that you could help me study this. I'm not a Pokémon trainer myself, and from what I understand, you need to be a strong Pokémon trainer to use Mega Evolution."

"What would you need me to do?"

"Well, I was going to ask you to travel around Hoenn and see if you could find out anymore details on Mega Evolution. Possibly see if there are Pokémon you could capture to try to Mega Evolve. We're not quite sure what Pokémon are capable of doing it," Birch explained.

"I convinced Birch to give you Mudkip because it's believed that the three starter Pokémon that we give out in Hoenn may be capable of Mega Evolution," Tania said. "It also would have given Mudkip a home. But now that it seems Yurie may be returning her Pokémon, this may be out of the question."

"We don't want to leave any Pokémon behind, and if we gave you Mudkip, that'd leave Torchic here alone," Birch said.

"Actually," Yurie said. "I think I'll keep Torchic a little bit longer." She watched the three Pokémon play. "I may not understand what Torchic is saying, but I want to try to learn how to understand Torchic's feelings."

"Well, that settles it!" Birch exclaimed happily. "Logan, I'd like you to take Mudkip with you on your journey!"

"Um…" Logan muttered. "I may have to decline."

"What?" Birch said.

"I came to Hoenn, because I wanted to take a break. I love Pokémon, and I love training, but I'm not sure if I want to enter the Hoenn league or anything at this point," Logan explained.

"I see," Birch said quietly. "That makes sense. I shouldn't have assumed that you were coming to take on the league."

"That is disappointing," Tania said.

"So, you gave me that whole speech about trying to understand Pokémon and such, but you're not even going to continue training?" Yurie asked. "I don't get it."

"Can I just have time to think about it?" Logan asked. "Give me tonight to think about it, and I'll let you know tomorrow."

Birch smiled. "Take all the time that you need, my boy!"

Yuriko stood up and dusted off her skirt. "Yurie, it's getting late. Wanna go back home? If you're not gonna go on your journey, then you might as well sleep in your own bed."

Yurie grabbed Torchic and then stood up. "Actually, I think I want to try that journey thing. Maybe I won't do battles or anything, but maybe it'd be good to see the Hoenn region. I want to try the different foods that Hoenn has to offer."

"Well, there's no point in going out tonight. You can stay here for the night and get a fresh start tomorrow morning!" Birch said.

Yuriko hugged her daughter. "You're gonna make me proud! Call when you can, okay?"

"Okay," Yurie said.

With that, Yuriko left the group. Eventually, Birch and Tania left too, leaving Yurie and Logan alone with the three Pokémon. Poochyena, Mudkip, and Torchic all slept near the fire, the three of them cuddled up together.

"So, you're taking a break from training?" Yurie asked. The two of them were on opposite sides of the fire, laying down and gazing at the stars.

"Kind of," Logan answered. "I'm honestly unsure about what I'm doing."

"I understand that," Yurie said. "I have no idea what I'm doing. I have no goals. I don't feel like I have a reason to go out there and travel. Every other kid that I know dreams of this day. I dreaded it."

"You'll find your way. We all do," Logan said. He looked over at Mudkip and Poochyena. "We all do."

* * *

The next morning, everyone was up early. Logan chugged down a bottle of water as soon as he woke up, and he made sure that Poochyena was fed.

"What do you think?" Yurie asked Torchic, showing off her new trainer's clothes. She bought an orange skirt to try to match Torchic. "Am I cute?"

"Torchic!" the Pokémon answered.

"I don't know what that means, but I'm gonna take it as a good answer!" Yurie replied.

"Good morning!" Birch said to Logan down in the kitchen. "You sleep well?"

"Fell asleep outside last night. Been a couple weeks since I've slept outside, but I always enjoy it," Logan responded. "Don't need a blanket in Hoenn."

"And Poochyena looks incredibly excited too. Looks like everyone got good sleep!" Birch exclaimed.

Yurie came downstairs and smiled. "Hello, everyone! I'm a Pokémon trainer!"

"Took you a whole day to figure that out, huh?" Tania asked sarcastically.

"I figured that if I'm going to give this training thing a try, then I should at least look the part," Yurie answered.

"Whatever it takes," Tania said.

Yurie grabbed a couple pieces of bread and some scrambled eggs.

"So, Logan. Have you given yesterday's conversation some thought?" Birch asked. "I don't want to rush you. I'm just curious."

Logan nodded and then handed a piece of bread to Yurie's Torchic. "I thought about it."

"And?" Tania said.

"I don't think that Mudkip should be left here alone. It looks like he's bonded with Poochyena, so at the very least, I'd be willing to take him with me," Logan answered. "And I'll help you in your research in any way that I can. If it means training Mudkip to be strong, then I'll do it. But I'm still unsure about entering the Hoenn league."

Birch smiled. "That's all good to hear! No one is asking you to enter the Hoenn league, but I'd be very happy if you took Mudkip with you! At the very least, Mudkip gets to experience the world."

"But there is a small issue," Tania said. "You still haven't caught that Poochyena. Technically, it's still wild."

Logan hadn't considered that. "You have a point. And I currently don't have the means to capture Pokémon."

Birch reached into his bag and pulled out two Poké Balls. "Here you go! One is Mudkip's ball, and the other one can be used to capture Poochyena."

Logan knelt down to the two Pokémon. "You both okay with coming with me on a little journey? We'll go to far away places, and meet many other Pokémon."

"Mudkip!" the Water-type said happily. He nuzzled up against Logans hand.

Poochyena smiled but backed up a few inches.

"It looks like Poochyena wants to join you," Birch said. "But you're going to have to do it the traditional way."

The group made their way outside, and Poochyena and Logan prepared to battle one another.

"Poochyena, don't hold back!" Logan said. He knelt down next to Mudkip. "Let's have a good first battle, buddy!"

"Mudkip!" the Pokémon cried out happily.

"Let's watch closely, Torchic," Yurie whispered to her Pokémon.

"Mudkip, start with Water Gun!" Logan commanded.

Mudkip began shooting small spurts of water from his mouth. Poochyena charged, dodging every single attack. He collided with Mudkip, sending the Water-type stumbling a few feet back.

"You okay, Mudkip?" Logan asked. His new Pokémon stood up slowly, but then energetically shouted. "Good! Let's do this! Hit him with your own Tackle!"

Mudkip lunged forward and knocked Poochyena on his side.

"Before he can stand back up, use Water Gun!" Logan commanded.

Mudkip did as told and water erupted from his mouth. The water connected with Poochyena, and the Dark-type flew back a few feet. Logan gripped his Poké Ball, and prepared to throw it, but before he could, Poochyena stood back up.

"Not yet, huh?" Logan said.

"Sugoi. That Poochyena has quite the fight in him," Birch exclaimed.

Poochyena let out a howl, and Mudkip lowered his head. Poochyena then charged forward once more. He jumped into the air and then bit Mudkip on his fin. Mudkip let out a pained yelp.

"Mudkip!" Logan said. "Swing Poochyena into the air!"

Mudkip swung around his head and tossed Poochyena.

"Now, Water Gun!"

With that, Mudkip shot his attack once more. It collided with the airborne Poochyena, sending the Pokémon even farther into the air. Poochyena landed with a thud and was knocked unconscious. Logan grabbed his Poké Ball, tossed it, and it absorbed Poochyena. Within a few moments, the ball let out a soft ding, letting everyone know that Poochyena was caught.

Logan ran over to the Poké Ball and picked it up. He smiled. "I did it!" He pressed the button on the ball, releasing Poochyena who shook a little bit, but smiled when he saw Logan. "We're an official team now, buddy." He took the Wailmer towel from before and wrapped it gently around Poochyena's neck.

"That was quite the show!" Birch said. "I think you, Mudkip, and Poochyena will all make an excellent team!"

"That was fun to watch," Yurie said. "A bit much, but they looked like they were having fun. Congrats."

"Thank you. I think we all had fun," Logan said.

Yurie attempted to respond, but before she could, the phone in the laboratory started to ring. Tania ran off to answer it.

"I was thinking-" Yurie started, but was interrupted by Tania.

"Logan, you have a call," she said.

"I'll be back," he said. He ran to the lab and went to the phone. Juniper appeared on the monitor.

"Oh, so you did make it there safe," she said. "Had me worried."

"Oh yeah. I forgot to give you a call," Logan said. "It's been a weird 24 hours."

"I assume you already talked to Birch about what he's studying?"

Logan nodded.

"So, you'll be going off on another journey?"

Logan nodded.

"Do you want me to send any Pokémon your way? You may need them for some of the gyms. Hoenn trainers aren't pushovers."

Logan shook his head. "I don't know if I'll be doing gyms this time around. Still haven't decided. I did catch a Poochyena though."

"Oh, I see. Well, keep me updated! And if you ever need any of your Pokémon, let me know," she replied. "Stay safe out there."

"I will."

With that, the two hung up their respective phones.

"She's worried about you, Logan," Birch said. "Make sure you give her a call here and there."

"I'll try to," he said. "Welp, I guess it's about time for me to get going."

"Me too, I guess," Yurie said.

"Do you want to walk to the next town together?" Logan asked. "I know the way there, and I figured we can give our Pokémon a bit more time together."

Yurie smiled and nodded. "That sounds fun!"

"Then let's go!" Logan said.

Birch and Tania saw them off at the door. They waved goodbye, and Birch wished them both good luck.

"She's gonna need all the help she can get," Tania said.

"I think she'll surprise you," Birch answered. "Yurie may be different from the rest, but I don't think she's a moron like you said."

Tania smiled.

* * *

"So, I'm actually doing this? I'm actually going out on my adventure," Yurie said.

"Exciting, isn't it? You and your first adventure, and me in a completely new region," Logan said with a smile. "I can hardly contain myself."

With that the two were off. Where their journey would take them, neither of them knew.

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Thanks for reading! Don't really have anything to add onto the end of this one. Have a lot of free time today and tomorrow, so I'll probably update again soon. Don't plan on updating every day though.

Quick note: "Sugoi" essentially means "excellent" or "great" in Japanese.


	3. Dagojiru

**EDITED MAY 27TH 2020**

**Chapter 3 - Dagojiru**

* * *

Logan and Yurie arrived in Oldale Town right before noon. As usual, Logan had worked up a sweat, but Yurie seemed to be okay with the climate.

"Oldale Town!" Yurie said excitedly. "I've been here a few times. The beef here is delicious."

"You really are more concerned with the different types of food you can eat, aren't you?" Logan asked.

"I imagine that the different towns in Unova have different types of foods. Don't you want to try them all?"

"Pizza is good everywhere in Unova. And I guess we make decent BBQ in my hometown," Logan replied.

"That all sounds delicious!" Yurie said.

Logan nodded. "How about we go and grab lunch, and then we can go our own ways? Sound good?"

Yurie sighed. "Uh. Yeah. Sure."

When Logan originally came to the town, he had been too exhausted to fully take it in. It wasn't very impressive, but that was something that Logan liked. The town was spacious with fields of various crops scattered about. The people of the town worked in the fields, and they looked at Yurie and Logan curiously as the two passed by. The air was clean, but it had the slight hint of farm to it, which is something that Logan was used to. But best of all, it was quiet.

The two quickly found a small shop where they could eat beef. Yurie ordered for both of them, and in a short time, the table was filled with various kinds of dishes. It all looked like way too much for Logan to even fathom.

"So, there's a sort of culture to how we eat in Hoenn," Yurie said before Logan could take a bite. "Yesterday, we ate motsunabe, and with that kind of food, you get it served with a tiny plate and you eat as you please."

"That's-that's how I assumed eating worked," Logan retorted.

Yurie smiled. "But most other food in Hoenn and other eastern regions, you're supposed to eat in a certain away. Here, we have different kinds of food on different plates and such. You want to take a bite from each plate one at a time. You don't want to finish all of one plate and then move onto the next."

"Will I get in trouble if I eat all of one thing first?" Logan asked sarcastically.

"You may get looks," Yurie said with a laugh. "I recommend eating in a circle. We can start with our dagojiru, because it's the soup of the bunch."

Logan looked at the food. He had no idea what she was referring to. She pointed to it and he picked it up.

"Before we start, we say 'itadakimasu,' which essentially means 'let's eat.' It's also supposed to serve as a thank you to all of those that gave us the food," Yurie explained.

"What was the word again?" Logan asked.

"Itadakimasu," Yurie said.

"Sweet. Let's eat," Logan replied with a smile. He moved the soup towards his face.

"Now it's-"

"Hot!" Logan screamed.

"-hot," Yurie finished. "Drink it slowly. And you can use your chopsticks to eat the dumplings that are there. This kind of dumpling miso soup is special in Oldale."

Logan took small drinks and then used his chopsticks to eat a few of the dumplings. They then moved onto the meat and then the rice and some small potatoes. Yurie explained each one to Logan, and he was slowly getting a handle on how everything worked. The two finished every bite of their food. Logan struggled to keep up, but Yurie blasted through everything. He didn't want to look like a chump in comparison, but it was hard for him to believe how hungry she was.

"I'm so full," he exclaimed as he patted his stomach. "Do you eat like this all the time?"

"It's healthy."

"I don't think I can move. I may die here."

"Now, when we finish eating, we say 'gochisousamadeshita,' which basically means 'thank you for the meal,'" she exclaimed. She put her hands together and said the phrase. Logan looked at her with a blank stare. "You'll get the hang of it eventually."

"It was delicious. So, ya know. Gotchamamadefjam," he said. She shot him a quizzical look. "I'll pick it up eventually, Yurie."

"You want ice cream?" Yurie asked.

"How are you so thin?"

Yurie ordered the ice cream, which looked very similar to the casteliacones that Logan was used to but much more simple. They ate it together, but it was a silent affair.

"So, we're gonna go our separate ways?" Yurie asked while she finished up her cone.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. I figured we could come this far. You probably have things that you want to do, and I plan on training a lot. That's probably not something that you're too interested in."

"I'm not opposed to watching," she replied. "Where do you plan on going?"

"I was thinking Rustboro City. I've heard a lot of good things about it. I know someone who's from there. They also have a school that I'm interested in checking out," Logan answered.

"They _also_ have the most delicious ramen in the world!" Yurie exclaimed. "Would it be a bother if I continued going with you? You know, just until Rustboro?"

Logan smiled. "Wouldn't be a bother at all!"

"And along the way, you can show me some battle techniques! It can't hurt to learn just a little bit. If I have Torchic, then the least I could do for him is let him exercise."

"My first Pokémon was a Fire-type, so I think I can show you some good techniques for Torchic!"

"Torchic is a Fire-type?"

"What? Of course! How could you not know that?"

Yurie looked taken aback. "I'm sorry, but it looks like a Wind-type to me!"

"Flying-type," Logan said.

"No, I don't think it can fly."

Logan took a deep breath. "I see. No, it's a Fire-type."

The two finished their ice cream and paid their bills. They sat for awhile at the restaurant to let Logan's stomach settle for awhile, but he could feel the wait staff staring at him. He wasn't sure if it was okay to sit around, and Yurie seemed to preoccupied to care. Once he could find the energy to move, the two left.

"So, from what I can understand from the map, it'll take us roughly four days to get to Rustboro by foot. The walk to Petalburg will take us the remainder of the day. We'll stay at Petalburg's Pokémon Center tonight," Logan said while he took a look at his map.

"How often did you sleep outside when you traveled?" Yurie asked.

"A lot. I got used to it after awhile, but the last month or so that I've spent relaxing has been rough. I find it harder to sleep on a bed now, ya know?"

"Well, the more that I can sleep at Pokémon Centers, the better, I think!" Yurie said with a smile.

With that, the two were off to Petalburg. The two traveled for roughly two more hours. Logan went through most of his bottles of water relatively quickly. Although he had ate a full meal seemingly consisting of all of the food in the world, he burned through the energy faster than he had anticipated.

"You really like water," Yurie observed.

"It's less of a like and more of a need. You don't need any?"

Yurie shook her head. "No, but if we could stop for a quick rest, that would be nice!"

The two found a nearby tree and sat under it in the shade. Yurie pulled a small pack out of her bag. "Gummi?" she said, offering the snack to Logan.

"Gummi? Like, a gummy bear?" Logan asked as he took a small purple snack from the pack.

"I guess so. But these are a bit sour."

Logan put it in his mouth and smiled. "Now this is delicious!"

"I have a lot! I can give them to you anytime!"

"Thank you!" Logan said as he grabbed another one.

Yurie reached into her bag and pulled out the two daffodils that she kept in two long tubes. She used a small shovel that was given to her by her mother and planted the two daffodils under the tree.

"So, your mom's the flower lady?" Logan asked. "Flowers are nice."

Yurie nodded. "I love flowers. Every flower has a meaning to it. If you want to say something to someone, but you're too nervous to, you can always give them flowers instead. I think it's a sneaky way to tell people how you feel. I think I want to take over the shop for mom when I get the chance."

"Your mom said that daffodils represent new beginnings," Logan said.

"Yeah. These two flowers represent us, I think. My first journey. Your new journey. So, I think right here is a good place to plant them."

Logan smiled. "While we're resting, do you want to learn anything about battling?"

"It depends. What do you have in mind?"

Logan looked around. He saw a small pond in the distance. "Let's go over there and see what we can find! I understand that Birch gave you a Pokédex?" Logan inquired.

"Yeah. I got one when he gave me Torchic," Yurie answered.

"Okay. Can you use your Pokédex to scan your Torchic?"

Yurie nodded. She pulled her Pokédex from the bag and opened it, letting it scan her Torchic.

"Torchic, the Chick Pokémon. Torchic has a place inside its body where it keeps its flame. Give it a hug - it will be glowing with warmth. This Pokémon is covered all over by a fluffy coat of down. Known moves: Scratch, Growl, and Ember," the Pokédex chimed out loud.

"Okay, so it's pretty basic at the moment, which is to be expected," Logan explained.

The two arrived at the pond.

"Now, we're gonna look for another Pokémon that could arguably be of the same experience as your Torchic. It's a tad risky coming to the pond because we could run into Water-type Pokémon, but I imagine that a lot of Pokémon come here to drink water." He looked around, noticing a small brown Pokémon in the distance. "Over there is a Zigzagoon. It'll probably be around the same level as your Torchic."

"So, you just want me to approach it?" Yurie asked. "Do I just start attacking?"

"Well, right now, for the sake of training, that's essentially what I'm asking you to do. We're not gonna sneak up on it though. We should at least give it a fighting chance."

"What moves do you recommend?" Yurie asked. She looked down at her Pokédex.

"So, you're offensive moves are going to be Scratch and Ember. I think that Ember is going to be your best attack if you're at a distance, and Scratch is good if they get in close."

"Okay," Yurie said. She started to circle around the pond. She kept her eyes focused on the Zigzagoon that was drinking the pond water. The Zigzagoon looked up at Yurie and Torchic. It seemed to instantly understand what was going on.

"Alright, tell your Torchic to attack," Logan said.

"Attack."

"No, you should give him a specific command."

"What were my choices again?"

"Ember and Scratch."

"I'll go with Scratch!"

Torchic darted forward, and before the Zigzagoon could decide on a plan of action, Torchic began to slash its talons into its side repeatedly. The Zigzagoon looked annoyed, and it lunged forward. The two bodies collided, and Torchic was tossed to the side.

"Oh no! What do I do?" Yurie asked.

"Try Ember," Logan answered.

"Ember!"

Torchic regained its composure and then a small stream of fire pellets burst from its mouth. The pellets hit Zigzagoon repeatedly, but the Pokémon began to dash forward in a zig-zag motion. It collided with Torchic once more, sending the Fire-type into the air.

"Torchic!" the Pokémon cried. He landed on the ground with a hard thud. He slowly stood back up and looked livid.

"May want to call Torchic back now," Logan advised.

"What? Why? We're winning!"

Torchic began shooting off his Ember attack furiously. Zigzagoon dodged and attempted to escape. Torchic followed, shooting his attack without looking. The attack shot far, smashing into a few Pokémon from across the river. The Pokémon began to stir. They looked up at Torchic and the trainers.

"That ain't good," Logan said.

"What are those?" Yurie asked. She pulled out her Pokédex.

"Surskit, the Pond Skater Pokémon. From the tips of its feet, Surskit secretes an oil that enables it to walk on water as if it were skating. This Pokémon feeds on microscopic organisms in ponds and lakes. If Surskit senses danger, it secretes a thick, sugary syrup from the tip of its head. There are some Pokémon that love eating this syrup," it chimed.

"They're really cute!" Yurie observed.

"Yeah, but when there's a lot of them and they're angry, you're not gonna think that way," Logan said. He grabbed Yurie's hand. "It's time to run. Torchic, c'mon!"

Logan, Yurie, Torchic, and Poochyena darted across the land by the pond as fast as they could. The Surskit were quick on the water, but as soon as they reached land, they started to slow down.

"We'll be safe as long as we keep moving. They're not fast on land," Logan explained.

Suddenly, a few Pokémon flew past the trainers, knocking Logan over.

"Logan!" Yurie screamed. She used her Pokédex to scan the Pokémon.

"Masquerain, the Eyeball Pokémon. Masquerain intimidates enemies with the eyelike patterns on its antennas. This Pokémon flaps its four wings to freely fly in any direction - even sideways and backwards - as if it were a helicopter. Masquerain's antennas have eyelike patterns that usually give it an angry look. If the 'eyes' are droopy and appear sad, it is said to be a sign that a heavy rainfall is on its way," it said.

"Those eyes look angry," Yurie observed. "What do we do?"

Logan sighed. "There are three of them. Unfortunately, Masquerain are pretty strong, and our Pokémon at the experience level that they're at don't stand much of a chance." He released Mudkip. "But I can use my two Pokémon, and you can use yours. You have an advantage with your Torchic. Use Ember, and keep Torchic moving. Don't allow him to get hit."

"I got it. I'll try my best," Yurie said. "What are you gonna do?"

"I'll think of something," Logan responded.

The three Masquerain charged towards the trainers. Poochyena, Mudkip, and Torchic all prepared to battle.

"Use Ember!" Yurie commanded.

Torchic began his attack, shooting at all three of the Masquerain. They dodged it easily though and swept past all three Pokémon, knocking them on their sides.

"Poochyena, Mudkip, wait for them to get in close and then use Tackle," Logan said.

The Flying-types swooped back and around and shot towards the trainers' Pokémon. Mudkip and Poochyena jumped in unison and landed two hard blows on two of the Masquerain. One broke through though and went for Torchic.

"We'll do the same! Wait for it to get close and then use Scratch!" Yurie said. Logan smiled.

Torchic waited for one second and then lunged forward. He scratched his talons against Masquerain and sent it flying back. The three Flying-types regrouped.

"They're not gonna fall for that one again," Logan said. "I'm gonna try something else. If Masquerain's wings get wet, it'll slow down."

"And Mudkip is a Wet-type!"

"Water-type."

The three Masquerain charged once more.

"Shoot your Water Gun into the air, Mudkip!"

Mudkip shot water into the air, and it began to fall like rain. It soaked the three Masquerain, and they began to slow down.

"Use Bite!"

Poochyena leapt into the air and bit onto one of the Masquerain. He shifted his body and tossed the Flying-type into one of its comrades. They both fell to the ground in a heap.

"Ember!" Yurie commanded.

Torchic shot its attack once more at the Masquerain. The attack landed, and Masquerain fell to the ground.

"We did it!" Yurie yelled. "That was such a rush! I can feel my heart beating!"

"We did. You did great, Yurie!" Logan said. He gave Yurie a thumbs up.

"Okay, so how do I catch a Pokémon?" Yurie asked.

"You want to catch one?"

"Yeah! I beat that Masquerain, so I'd like to catch it!" Yurie declared.

"Well, first you need one of your Poké Balls."

"Got it!" she exclaimed as she quickly started to dig in her bag. It was unorganized, and she began pulling items that were not in Poké Balls from her bag. Logan silently waited as he looked at the Masquerain, making sure that they didn't get back up. Finally, Yurie managed to find a ball and pull it from her bag.

"And then simply toss it in the direction of the Pokémon. If you land directly on the Pokémon, your chances of catching it are more likely," Logan explained.

Yurie tossed the Poké Ball into the air. It barely touched the Masquerain, but once it did, the Pokémon was absorbed. The Poké Ball rocked for a few moments before letting out its signature ding that the capture was a success.

"I-I did it!" Yurie said. She ran over to the Poké Ball and held it high. Torchic also celebrated with her. Logan ran to her side. He pulled some Pokémon food out of his bag and handed it over to the two injured Masquerain.

"Heal up, buddies. We're sorry about all of that. Hopefully you can forgive us. She'll take good care of your friend! I promise," Logan said. The Masquerain looked bothered at first but slowly took the food. They flew back to their Surskit friends and shared it with them.

"I really picked up on this training thing quick, didn't I?" Yurie asked.

"You did a good job, but one thing to keep in mind is that we can always do better," Logan said. Yurie looked a little disappointed. "But I think you did great. Don't forget that."

"We should get going to Petalburg. I'm exhausted and starving."

"How can you be hungry already?" Logan asked, not realizing that he was also incredibly hungry.

"Pokémon training takes a lot of work, Logan," Yurie retorted.

Within a couple more hours the two were at the Petalburg Pokémon Center. Logan had organized a room, and Yurie called her mom as soon as she had the chance.

"Mom! You won't believe it!" she screamed into the phone.

"What is it, honey?! Are you okay?!" her mom asked worriedly.

"I'm fine! I caught a Pokémon!" Yurie explained. "Logan was there to help me. He coached me through it, and I caught a strong one!"

"You did? I'm so proud of you!" Yuriko said happily. "Logan, thank you so much for helping out my daughter!"

"It's my pleasure," he said.

"I'm so glad that you two are off on an adventure together," she said with a smile.

"We're gonna go to Rustboro and then be on our separate ways, I think," Logan said.

Yurie looked a bit dejected, but she quickly turned it into a smile. "I'm gonna eat ramen!"

"Well, make sure that you teach her a lot about Pokémon training until then, Logan! Thank you so much for helping her!"

"Once again, my pleasure."

"Tonight, please feel free to eat as much as you two want! I'll send some extra money to Yurie's bank account!"

"Anything we want?!" Yurie asked.

"Anything," Yuriko replied.

"Oh boy," Logan muttered. "That means everything."

Yurie smiled. "Okay! Bye mom! I'll call you when I get to Rustboro!" She hung up the call and turned towards Logan.

"What are we gonna eat, and what rules do I need to know?" Logan asked.

Within 30 minutes the duo had pizza delivered to the Pokémon Center. They sat in the back, and Yurie formally introduced herself to Masquerain. The Pokémon ate specialty Pokémon pizza while Logan enjoyed a Unovan-style and Yurie ate pizza of the Hoenn variety. The group all laughed together, took their showers, and then were off to bed.


	4. Tamago Sando

Chapter 4 - Tamago Sando

* * *

The two trainers woke up around 9 AM the next morning, made breakfast and then were off to Rustboro City.

"So, a forest," Yurie said as they approached the entrance to Petalburg Woods. "There's no other way to Rustboro?"

Logan shook his head. "Technically, it's a woods. We could always try to go around, but that's going to increase our travel time immensely. It'll be easiest for us to just go through."

Yurie took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's do this."

Logan smiled. "Don't worry! This ain't my first time! I'll make sure that nothing bad happens!"

The woods was dark and quiet. The sounds of Pokémon cries could be heard in the distance, and the further they went in, the colder it got.

"Logan, I'm really not liking this," Yurie said. She got closer to him and grabbed his arm. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I understand. If it comforts you, you can hold my arm until we're out," Logan said with a smile.

"What kind of woods are there in Unova?" Yurie asked. She now gripped a little bit harder onto Logan's arm.

Logan thought for a second. "Well, there's the Pinwheel Forest. It's where I caught a Pokémon called Petilil. That place was sprawling with lively Pokémon. I remember being scared, but I had my Tepig and a friend at that time that I was traveling with. Everything worked out."

"I see."

"And then there is a place in Unova called the White Forest," Logan said. "I've only been there once, but it was one of the most beautiful places in all of Unova. It was not only a land where Pokémon thrived, but also a small village of sorts. The people there lived with their Pokémon in a sort of harmony that I've rarely ever seen. It's where my mom grew up, so I always wanted to go there."

"Iine. It sounds nice."

"Yeah! I recommend that you go there if you ever get the chance," Logan said.

"I want to hear more about your stories in Unova and Alola."

"I have a lot, and I'm willing to share."

"I have two older siblings, and since they left for their journeys, I haven't heard much from them. Mom would occasionally get phone calls, but as for stories or what they're doing, I haven't heard much," Yurie said.

"Were you not close?" Logan asked.

"I thought we were. I felt like I was sort of the glue of the family. I'm close to both of them, but they were never close to each other."

"I have two younger brothers. I'm really close to one of them, but I never talk to the other one. I think one of them will start their journey next year, while the other still has some time left to go."

"I have an older brother and older sister. Brother left two years ago, and my sister left last year."

"Maybe we'll run into them in Rustboro?" Logan said. "You never know who you'll see on your journey."

The two continued their walk on the path for a little while longer. After roughly two hours, they decided to take a short break. Yurie had made some food for them in the morning, and they found a small spot to sit down and eat.

"This is delicious!" Logan said while he devoured his sandwich. "I've never had anything like this!"

"It's a tamago sando. Very easy to make. Just eggs and bread, but I added cheese to yours, because your from Unova. I heard that Unovan people like cheese," Yurie explained.

"You heard right!"

Logan reached into his bag and pulled out small pellets of Pokémon food. He gave some of it to his and Yurie's Pokémon.

"Sometimes it's okay for us to give Pokémon food that we eat, but to make sure that they get a healthy balance, we have to give them specialized Pokémon food," Logan said. "I learned a while back how to make certain spices that some Pokémon enjoy. I can't cook for humans, but when it comes to making Pokémon food, it's one of my talents."

Yurie smiled. "Well, if you make our Pokémon food, I'll make sure to keep cooking for you!"

"Sounds like a deal!"

The two continued to eat, and Logan noticed a couple of figures moving in the distance.

"I don't want to freak you out, but we have visitors," he said. He pointed to a couple of small Pokémon inching their way towards them.

"What are they?" Yurie asked.

"You have your Pokédex," he reminded her.

Yurie pulled out her device and scanned the Pokémon.

"Wurmple, the Worm Pokémon. Using the spikes on its rear end, Wurmple peels the bark off trees and feeds on the sap that oozes out. This Pokémon's feet are tipped with suction pads that allow it to cling to glass without slipping. It sticks to tree branches and eats leaves. The thread it spits from its mouth, which becomes gooey when it touches air, slows the movement of its foes. Wurmple is targeted by Swellow as prey. This Pokémon will try to resist by pointing the spikes on its rear at the attacking predator. It will weaken the foe by leaking poison from the spikes," the Pokédex chimed.

"It's common to find Bug-type Pokémon in forests," Logan explained.

"They're kind of cute, but what do they want?"

"Probably smelled our food. I don't have enough to give them unfortunately. Gotta make sure it can last until we get to Rustboro," Logan said. He stood up and walked towards the Wurmple. He knelt down and began to pet them. "At the very least, we can give them some attention."

The two continued their journey into the forest, and it didn't take long for them to reach the middle. Yurie had finally let up on holding Logan's arm, and slowly, Pokémon started to emerge.

"Bug-type Pokémon everywhere," Yurie said as she scanned various Cascoon and Silcoon with her Pokédex. "I've never seen so many Pokémon in my life."

Logan stopped and looked high into the trees. "Up there." He pointed.

She looked up to see a mass family of grey Pokémon. "Those aren't Bug-types, I'm guessing."

"Slakoth, the Slacker Pokémon. Slakoth lolls around for over twenty hours every day. Because it moves so little, it does not need much food. This Pokémon's sole daily meal consists of just three leaves. Slakoth's heart beats just once a minute. Whatever happens, it is content to loaf around motionless. It is rare to see this Pokémon in motion. It doesn't change its nest its entire life, but it sometimes travels great distances by swimming in rivers," the Pokédex chimed.

"That sounds like the life," Yurie said. "Sleep all day and occasionally swim? I like it."

"Not much of an eater though," Logan replied. He laughed.

"Excuse me," a voice called from afar. A man in a three piece suit approached the two of them. "I take it that you two are trainers."

"Yeah we are!" Yurie said. "Did my snazzy outfit give it away?"

The man chuckled. "I was wondering if you two have happened to see any Shroomish nearby? You see, they can be found in the woods, but they are rare. I'm curious to get myself a look today."

Logan shook his head. "We've seen a lot of Pokémon, but I don't believe that we've seen any Shroomish."

"Old man!" a voice boomed from afar. The trainers turned to find a teenager dressed like a modern day pirate. He appeared angry and in front of him was a Poochyena. "I've been waiting for hours, but you just keep standing around!"

"I'm sorry. Can I help you?" the man asked.

The pirate got closer. "I need you to tell me everything you know about the Devon Corporation. And not just what you can find on your company website."

"Logan, should we leave?" Yurie asked. Logan shook his head.

"Tell me what I want to know, or I'll beat it out of you," the pirate said. His Poochyena stepped closer.

The man turned to Logan. "Young man, if I can bother you a bit, I was wondering if you'd help me out with this. I'll make it worth your time."

Logan nodded. He stepped in front of the old man. "I've dealt with bullies like this before." He pulled out his Poké Ball and released Mudkip.

"Do not get in the way! We're looking to change the world, and the end will justify the means!" the pirate yelled. "This is your last warning!"

Logan smiled. "Make your move."

"Poochyena, use Tackle!"

"Mudkip, stand your ground and use Growl!"

Poochyena lunged forward, and Mudkip prepared to take the hit. He let out a loud growl, and the Poochyena looked unsure of itself. It weakly ran into Mudkip, only slightly bothering the Water-type.

"Now, use Mud-Slap!"

Mudkip dug his front legs into the ground and flung mud into the air. It connected with Poochyena, making it retreat a couple of yards.

"Poochyena! Don't give up! Use Bite!"

The Poochyena jumped forward and snapped its jaws shut but completely missed Mudkip.

"Now, finish this with Water Gun," Logan commanded calmly.

Mudkip obliged and shot water from his mouth. The water connected with Poochyena, sending it flying into the air. It crashed down hard, and the pirate looked agitated.

"You're going to pay for this!" the pirate screamed. He returned his Poochyena. "I will not forget this!" With that, he retreated into the forest and was gone within seconds.

"What was that about?" Yurie asked.

"I'm not quite sure, but I think it's best that I be careful from now on," the man said. "Young man, you're really talented."

"Thank you," Logan said. He returned Mudkip to his Poké Ball.

"It's not very often that you see someone actually use Growl. And the way that you used Mud-Slap to lower accuracy, I'm impressed."

"It's basic strategy, I think," Logan said.

The man smiled. "Would you two care to escort me out of the woods?"

Yurie looked at Logan. "Can't hurt to have more people along, I guess."

"Yeah," Logan agreed.

The three walked through the woods and talked about various things. Logan and Yurie learned that the man worked for a company called the Devon Corporation.

"We create all kinds of inventions for people in Hoenn to use. We also do export a few of our items to other regions. Maybe you've seen some of our Poké Ball variations like the Timer Ball," he said.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. I've seen a Timer Ball or two." He laughed.

"Our president's son also does his own research and has started his own branch within the company. He loves ancient Pokémon, and we've developed ways to bring back ancient Pokémon using DNA from old fossils. It truly is incredible."

"That's probably the kind of information that the pirate was after," Yurie said. She couldn't stop thinking about the teenager from before.

"It's something that I'll make sure to report to our president when I get back to-" the man suddenly stopped. He knelt down and pointed towards a bush. "Well, would you look at that."

"What is it?" Logan asked. He and Yurie both knelt down. She used her Pokédex.

"Shroomish, the Mushroom Pokémon. Shroomish live in damp soil in the dark depths of forests. They are often found keeping still under fallen leaves. This Pokémon feeds on compost that is made up of fallen, rotted leaves. If Shroomish senses danger, it shakes its body and scatters spores from the top of its head. This Pokémon's spores are so toxic, they make trees and weeds wilt," it chimed.

"Pokémon that live in the forest are really cute, but their Pokédex data also makes them out to be nothing to mess with," Yurie said with a laugh.

"I've always loved Shroomish since I was a kid," the man said. He reached into his backpack and pulled out some Pokémon food. He slowly put it down in front of the Shroomish then backed away. The Pokémon hesitantly took the food, but smiled once it ate it.

"It seems to like it," Yurie said.

Logan smiled. "It looks like you're beginning to understand Pokémon's emotions, Yurie."

"I just know what it looks like when something is delicious."

The man stood up straight. "Well, it's time for us to get going."

The group continued into the woods. The man discussed his favorite Pokémon and showed pictures of Shroomish that he had taken when he was a child. Within a couple hours, they had reached the other side of the woods.

"Well, it looks like I'll be off on my own from here on out," the man said. He reached into his bag and pulled out two black and gold Poké Balls. "I want to give you these for escorting me. They're Luxury Balls. The Pokémon that you catch with them will become friendlier faster. Yurie, Logan, thank you for keeping me company!"

He handed over the Poké Balls and the group all said their goodbyes. With that, the man was off on his own.

"You never know who you'll meet," Logan said.

"It looks like its getting dark. I guess we're camping out tonight?"

Logan nodded. "Yep! I'll find us a spot."

The duo found a spot at the edge of the woods where other trainers had set up camp. They joined them and made their own fire.

"So, you're a new trainer, eh?" one of the people that they met asked. "I remember getting my first Pokémon like it was yesterday!"

"I remember it was like it was two days ago," Yurie said with a laugh.

"And you're from Unova?" another trainer asked. "That's so far! I'm not sure if I could ever travel there myself. I'm from Kanto, and I think Hoenn is as far as I'm willing to go."

Logan nodded. "Well, I wanted to experience the whole world. It has been a bit harder this go around."

"And a two time semi-finalist?" I only ever made it to the quarter finals in the Indigo Plateau Conference," the trainer exclaimed.

"I'd love a match with you someday!"

"Me too!" another trainer said.

"Count me in!" one more trainer piped up.

Logan smiled. "Maybe one day, but I think I want to give my Pokémon a rest for now."

Yurie smacked him on the shoulder. "You sure are popular, Logan." She sat back. _So, this is what being a Pokémon trainer was like_, she thought.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

"Iine" essentially means "like" or "good." It's something that Japanese people say out loud frequently. So, I plan on putting it in the story a few times.

Also, I'll be introducing contests in the next chapter. Be on the lookout for it.

Thanks for reading!


	5. Rustboro Ramen

Chapter 5 - Rustboro Ramen

It had been two days since the duo exited the woods, and after what seemed like an eternity of walking, they arrived in Rustboro.

"Here we are!" Yurie screamed excitedly. "Rustboro is one of the key cities in all of Hoenn! They have so much good food here! I can't wait."

"We should probably go to the Pokémon Center first. We need to give our Pokémon a proper check up," Logan said.

Yurie looked down at her Torchic who was a bit dirty from all of the traveling they had just done. Yurie also trained with Logan when they'd take pitstops. She was finally getting a handle on how battling works.

"Yeah, let's go to the Pokémon Center first," she agreed.

The two walked through the city towards the center, and Logan quickly noticed how packed the city was. Traffic moved slowly, but the people on foot walked quickly with their heads down to their destination.

"A bit different from Oldale, don't you think?" Yurie asked.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. Reminds me of Castelia City in the Unova Region."

The two quickly arrived at the Pokémon Center, which was also packed with trainers. Yurie called her mother while Logan had Nurse Joy check their Pokémon.

"Be careful in Rustboro," Yuriko warned her daughter. "Make sure to keep your bag close to your body."

"I'll be fine, mom! I have a strong Pokémon to protect me," Yurie said in a reassuring manner.

"Okay," Yuriko said. "Give Logan my best wishes! I have to go. We have a lot of business today."

"Do your best," Yurie said. "Bye!" With that, she hung up the phone and then met with Logan in the lobby.

"So, our Pokémon are in tiptop shape!" Logan said. "And I think I figured out why there are so many people here today."

"I just figured that it was because it's the city," Yurie said.

"There's a Pokémon contest today," Logan explained. "It's where people go to show off their Pokémon skills in a more dazzling fashion."

"I'm interested," Yurie said.

"We've got a few hours until it starts. Do you want to try that ramen you were talking about and then go watch the show?"

Yurie's face lit up. "You read my mind!"

* * *

"So, this is Rustboro Ramen!" Yurie said. "Rustboro Ramen is not only the best ramen in Hoenn, but I think it's the best ramen in the world!"

"It smells great!" Logan said. "And the dumplings look good too!"

"That's called gyoza! I recommend first taking a bite of the ramen to get that flavor in your mouth, then dip your gyoza in shoyu sauce and eat it. I think that's the best way to get the proper taste."

"You're the food master," Logan said. He put his hands together. "Italiansauce!"

"Itadakimasu," Yurie corrected.

"Let's eat!"

The two devoured their meals quickly. Yurie slurped her ramen while Logan ate quietly.

"You're supposed to slurp your ramen and be noisy about it. It's a compliment to the cook," Yurie explained.

Logan tried to slurp, but wasn't very good at it.

"It's unnatural for me!" he exclaimed. "But it is very good!"

Yurie finished her noodles quickly and then ordered a noodles refill. Logan watched as she finished her second helping and then drank all of the broth.

"You're like a Snorlax," Logan said quietly.

"I assume that's the cutest Pokémon," Yurie replied.

Logan laughed. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!"

The two paid their bills and Logan used his map to get them to the contest hall. Many other trainers stood around in the lobby with their Pokémon. They practiced attacks and tried out different poses to get the best results possible. Yurie scanned multiple Pokémon with her Pokédex, squealing at the various Pokémon that she found cute.

"Hello, we'd like to buy two tickets to watch the contest!" Logan said to the woman at the desk.

"You want to watch?" the woman asked. "You look like Pokémon trainers though?"

Logan nodded. "We are."

"Well, today's contest is entry level friendly. Some veterans are competing, but this contest is mostly used for newcomers to try their hand at contests," the woman explained. "If you're interested, we can enter you both."

Yurie smiled. "I want to try! I think it sounds really fun!"

Logan laughed. "Well, I guess that it can't hurt to try a contest. Maybe I'll be good at it."

The two gave their information to the woman and within minutes, both trainers were entered into the contest.

"Do you know how a Pokémon contest works?" the woman asked.

Logan shook his head. "Nope! I've never even seen one before. We truly are beginners here."

"That's no problem!" she said. "The contest is divided into two parts. There is the Performance Stage, which is where you will try to show off your Pokémon abilities in an interesting manner. You can try to show how strong your Pokémon is, or how cute, or how beautiful. You want to use your Pokémon's attacks to show off a shining quality."

"So, we're not actually battling?" Yurie asked. She thought of her two Pokémon and which Pokémon would fit this category well.

"The second part is the Battle Stage," the woman said. "Here, like the name suggests, you will battle with your Pokémon. You're given five minutes and points. Points are deducted if you miss an attack or if you're hit. You can also lower your opponent's points by pulling off a move that dazzles the judges. Another way to win is by making your opponent's Pokémon faint."

"Sounds simple enough," Logan said. "If all else fails, I'll make my opponents faint!"

"It can be a little bit more difficult than your regular battle," the woman said. "Every move counts."

The duo made their way to the back room where the other trainers were preparing. Logan took a look around the room.

"This kind of excitement reminds me of the conference days," he said. "I'm feeling that energy!"

"Yurie?" a voice called from the other side of the room. A girl came rushing over to Yurie and gave her a hug. "It's been so long!"

"Yui!" Yurie said happily. She hugged the girl back.

Yui let go and looked at Yurie from head to toe. "You've grown in the last year! I heard that you received your Pokémon. I tried to call, but mom said that you already left!"

"You called?"

"Of course I called! I was sad that I missed you, but seeing you now is so wonderful!" Yui said excitedly. She looked at Logan. "Who's this? You're not from here, are you?"

"I'm Logan. I'm from Unova," Logan explained.

"Unova!" Yui screamed. "That's so far! How's Hoenn so far?"

"Hot."

"Logan, this is my older sister, Yui," Yurie explained.

"Are you participating in the contest?" Yui asked.

Logan and Yurie nodded. "Yeah. They said it was entry level."

"Yeah! Most people here are beginners."

"Are you competing? Is this what you've been doing for the past year?" Yurie asked.

Yui nodded and then her expression changed to a more saddened look. "I found that I love Pokémon Contests last year, but I only won four in total, which meant that I couldn't make it into the Ever Grande Conference. I didn't want to tell you guys that I almost made it. I'm sorry I barely called."

Yurie glared. "We'll love you no matter what. Call mom more. She's missed you! Neither of you call!"

"Haruto never called either?"

Before Yurie could answer, the announcer interrupted.

"Alright, one and all! Welcome to the Rustboro City Summer Contest! Today's contest will see many new faces trying their hands at becoming the next big Coordinator! We have people from all around Hoenn and even a few people from around parts of the globe who have come today! But only a few of them will make it to the top and will win this beautiful, Rustboro Summer Ribbon!" The announcer held up a ribbon with a red pattern on it, and the crowd cheered loudly.

"And that person is gonna be me," Yui said. She winked at Yurie.

"First up is the Performance Stage! Let's get to it!"

Trainers, one by one, entered onto the stage and performed moves. Yurie, Yui, and Logan watched the first few before deciding to head to a practice room where they could talk strategy with their own Pokémon.

"Okay, so I'm going to use Masquerain for the Performance Stage," Yurie announced. Masquerain flew around happily. "I think based on what I've seen from other performances, I understand how it works." She pulled out her Pokédex and scanned Masquerain.

"Masquerain. Level 25. Known moves: Water Sport, Gust, Scary Face, and Air Cutter," it chimed.

"Such a strong Pokémon for only traveling for such a short amount of time!" Yui observed.

"I got lucky!" Yurie replied.

"I've been practicing for awhile, so I already know what Pokémon I'll use. I'm gonna keep it a secret until you can watch me though," Yui said with a smile. "Watch your big sister do great things!"

"And Logan?" Yurie inquired.

"I think I'm gonna go with Mudkip in the Performance Stage, and Poochyena will be my Battle Stage choice," he said.

"You've been training with Mudkip a lot, so I'm excited to see whatever you do with him!" Yurie said.

With that, the duo began to practice with their Pokémon, creating various ideas that they could do for the Performance Stage. Within a few minutes, Yui was called to the stage.

"Watch and learn, Yurie!" Yui said. She ran to the stage.

"Next up is Kawahara Yui from Littleroot Town!" the announcer yelled.

The crowd cheered. She was recognizable enough to get a bigger pop than most of the other contestants. She raised her hands into the air, and the crowd went silent.

"Let's go!" she said as she tossed her Poké Ball into the air. A cat-like Pokémon appeared.

"Delcatty, the Prim Pokémon. Delcatty prefers to live an unfettered existence in which it can do as it pleases at its own pace. Because this Pokémon eats and sleeps whenever it decides, its daily routines are completely random. Delcatty sleeps anywhere it wants without keeping a permanent nest. If other Pokémon approach it as it sleeps, this Pokémon will never fight - it will just move away somewhere else," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"Delcatty, let's start with Ice Beam!" Yui commanded.

Delcatty jumped into the air and a light blue beam shot from her mouth. The beam connected with the ground and created ice instantly. Delcatty focused on a singular spot and created a small hill of ice.

"Wonderful!" Yui said. "Now, Zen Headbutt!"

Delcatty gathered energy in her head and then charged towards the small hill. She crashed into it, destroying it instantly. Ice flew into the air.

"Finish this with Thunderbolt!"

Electric energy burst from Delcatty's body. The bolts crashed with the individual shards of ice, causing small explosions. Little ice crystals fell from the sky, creating a beautiful scene for Delcatty to pose in. The crowd clapped and cheered.

"Amazing!" the announcer screamed. "Yui was able to show off the diversity of Delcatty's moveset and the power and grace of her Pokémon with ease! This just goes to show you that Yui is in it to win it this year!"

* * *

"That was amazing!" Yurie said while giving her sister a hug. "I'll be very surprised if you don't make it to the next round!"

"Thank you! We've been practicing that one a lot recently," Yui said. She knelt down and pet Delcatty.

"Your Pokémon is so cute!" Yurie chimed.

"When the contest is over, I'll introduce you to all of my Pokémon!" Yui said.

Logan looked up and saw that he was being called to go on next.

"Wish me luck!" he said while running towards the stage.

"You can do this, Logan!" Yurie shouted. Logan the disappeared.

"So, he your new boyfriend?" Yui asked.

"Shut up," Yurie quickly responded.

"Now, welcome to the stage newcomer Logan Stephenson from Nuvema Town in the Unova Region! Everyone, give him your warmest welcome!"

The crowd cheered loudly for Logan. He could hear people make remarks about how he's come from so far. Logan bowed. He grabbed his Poké Ball and tossed it into the air. Mudkip appeared and did a little dance. The crowd laughed.

"So far so good," Logan said. "Alright Mudkip, shoot your strongest Water Gun straight up into the air!"

Mudkip took a deep breath and then shot a powerful stream of water into the air. The crowd awed at how far it went.

"Let's give this a go! Stand still and use Bide!"

Mudkip stopped his attack and began to glow. The water from his previous attack fell from the sky and began to pelt Mudkip hard, but he remained still.

"Amazing! Mudkip is attacking itself!" the announcer screamed.

"Now, release!" Logan ordered once the water stopped falling.

Mudkip shouted as it released the energy. A white aura burst from his body, and the water that had soaked his body flew from him and evaporated into the air. The mist fell over the stadium.

"Wow!" the announcer screamed. "Keeping it very simple! Logan, using only two attacks, showed us not only how strong his Mudkip is, but also showcased the beauty of water!"

The crowd cheered, Logan bowed, and then he returned to the back.

"What did you think?" he asked.

Yurie smiled. "I think that you did great!"

"It was an interesting debut," Yui said.

"You'll be next," Logan said to Yurie. "You'll do great!"

"Thank you!" Yurie said. She watched the other performers go on the television and waited for her name to be called. When it was time, she made her way to the stage.

"Everyone please welcome new trainer Kawahara Yurie from Littleroot Town! If you've been paying close attention, you may have realized that this is Kawahara Yui's younger sister! Everyone wish her good luck!" the announcer said. The crowd cheered loudly for her.

Yurie took a deep breath and gripped Masquerain's Poké Ball. She waited for a second and tossed it into the air, releasing Masquerain.

"Dramatic pause. Simple, but effective," Yui noted.

"Masquerain, let's kick things off with Gust!" Yurie commanded.

Masquerain flew across the stage, creating two whirlwinds on both sides. The energy from the wind could be felt as far as backstage.

"Let's add a little flavor to them! Water Sport!"

Masquerain shot water from its mouth. The water landed on the two whirlwinds, combining with them, turning them in a water tornado of sorts. They started to move towards the middle of the stage, set on a crash course for one another.

"Masquerain, use Air Cutter!"

Before the water tornadoes could connect with one another, the Masquerain shot energy from its wings. The energy took a white form and collided with the two whirlwinds, destroying them instantly. The water flew up into the air and then rained down onto the stage. Masquerain danced around happily in the air.

"Wonderful!" the announcer yelled. "Masquerain was able to display not only it's aerial elegance, but also its ability to combine moves and its power. I'd expect nothing from the little sister of Kawahara Yui!"

Yurie hugged her Masquerain. "You did perfect, Masquerain!"

"That was amazing!" Logan said as Yurie came backstage. "You really have a talent for this, Yurie!"

"I'll be honest, I'm impressed," Yui said. "I'm also a bit jealous. My first ever appeal was, well, it was garbage. But you did great."

"I was so nervous. I'm still shaking," Yurie said. "I think I need to lie down."

"It was quite a rush!" Logan exclaimed.

Yui nodded. "But now comes one of the worst parts of the contest. We have to wait. This period can drag, and until we know the results of the first round, tensions will be high."

The trio sat in the back with their Pokémon. They watched the other performers and ate snacks while they waited for the results.

"And now we've come to the moment that a lot of you have waited for! The results of the Performance Round! Many great trainers tried out today, but only four will advance to the Battle Stage!"

"That's a pretty steep cutoff," Logan said. "But I'm confident that we'll make it!"

"Our first contestant moving on is none other than Kawahara Yui from Littleroot Town!" the announcer said as Yui's picture appeared on the screen.

"Yatta! I did it!" Yui yelled.

"Yes!" Yurie said.

"Our next contestant moving on is new trainer, Imamura Michika, from Jubilife City in Sinnoh!"

A girl to the left of the trio jumped up and down in excitement. She smiled at Yui.

"Good job!"

"Thank you!" she said happily.

"Next is Rustboro's own Yamasaki Yuki!"

A small boy stood on one of the benches and cheered. "I did it!"

Logan looked at the screen. "This means that one of us didn't make it."

Yurie clenched her fist. "Oh no…"

Logan smiled. "But hey! We did our best! And if one of us gets in, then we should definitely cheer each other on!"

"Of course!" Yurie said with her own smile.

"And last but definitely not least…"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

So, I called it Rustboro Ramen, but the real world equivalent would be what is called Hakata Ramen. It's famous in Fukuoka, Japan which is what Rustboro is loosely based off of. Hakata Ramen is delicious. Best ramen I've ever had.

Something I want to skip over is the judge's observations that they do in the anime. I've tried writing the individual judge's before, and I never really liked doing it. Instead, the judges will sort of remain anonymous, and the announcer will state "judge-like" things.

"Yatta!" means "I did it!" If you've watched any anime in Japanese, then you've definitely heard this before. Also, for those wondering Yuki is a boys name in Japanese. I thought it was mostly a girls name, but I was wrong.

Next time, it'll reveal who gets to the Battle Stage. I love writing for contests. Probably one of my favorite parts of writing Pokémon fanfiction. This has been a blast to work on so far. Who do you think will be moving on?


	6. Nachos

**Chapter 6 - Nachos**

* * *

"And last but definitely not least…"

Yurie grabbed onto Yui's hand and held it tight. The three of them stared at the screen intently.

"Kawahara Yurie from Littleroot Town!" the announcer yelled.

Yurie sighed out of relief and then hugged her sister. "I actually made it!"

"Dang," Logan said. He pet Mudkip. "We did our best though, and it was fun!"

"I'm sorry, Logan!" Yurie said. "I'll make sure to use everything you've taught me though, and I'm going to win!"

Logan smiled. "I'll be cheering for you in the stands!"

"Congrats!" the girl from before said. "I'm Michika! I'll be battling Yui in the Battle Rounds!"

"Nice to meet you, Michika!" Yui said. "Good luck! I won't be taking it easy on you!"

Michika smiled. "I won't either!"

"You're from Sinnoh?" Yurie asked.

"Yeah! I'm also a new trainer, like you, but I wanted to travel in Hoenn instead of Sinnoh," Michika explained.

"Why so? Wouldn't Sinnoh feel more familiar?" Logan asked.

Michika nodded. "Yes, but I wanted to try Hoenn's food!"

"I love her!" Yurie screamed.

"Contestants, there will be a five minute intermission! Use this time to prepare and make strategies with your Pokemon!"

"Let's do our best!" Michika said.

"I'm gonna go watch from the stands, but first, I'm craving nachos! I'll be rooting you on!" Logan said. With that, he left the backroom with all of the other contestants who didn't move on. He walked to the concession stands, which were already full of people lined up. "Couldn't beat the rush."

* * *

"So, do you have any strategies?" Yurie asked Yui.

Yui shook her head. "Unfortunately, I don't remember what Michika did in the Performance Round. But this is normal. One key thing to learn about contest battles is you'll have to adapt quickly."

"That's good advice," Yurie said. She looked over at her opponent. "If I remember correctly, Yuki showed off his Pokemon's power in his appeal. It was like watching a muscle man show."

"You were really paying attention," Yui said with a laugh.

"I wanted to get a good feel for how it worked."

* * *

"There are no nachos," Logan said to Poochyena. "We've circled this stadium at least once, but I'm seeing the same things over and over. No nachos."

Poochyena smiled.

"Nachos are awesome, Poochyena! Trust me, if we can find them, you'll be blown away!"

"Alright, everyone! Welcome back to the Rustboro City Summer Contest! We've now moved on to the Battle Stage where our top 4 contestants will compete!" the announcer said while showing quick replays of the contestant's appeals. "The first match will be between Yui from Littleroot Town and Michika from Jubilife City! Contestants, please take the stage!"

Yui and Michika waved goodbye to Yurie and Yuki and then ran to opposite ends of the stage.

"Contestants, are you ready?" the announcer asked. Both of the participants nodded. "Begin!" The clock began to countdown from five minutes, and the point bars showed up on screen.

"Go, Beautifly!" Yui said while tossing her Poke Ball into the air.

"Show 'em your stuff, Piplup!" Michika shouted while releasing her Pokemon.

"Beautifly, the Butterfly Pokemon. Beautifly's favorite food is the sweet pollen of flowers. If you want to see this Pokémon, just leave a potted flower by an open window. Beautifly is sure to come looking for pollen. Beautifly has a long mouth like a coiled needle, which is very convenient for collecting pollen from flowers. This Pokémon rides the spring winds as it flits around gathering pollen," the Pokedex chimed. Yurie then turned it to Piplup. "Piplup, the Penguin Pokemon. Because it is very proud, it hates accepting food from people. Its thick down guards it from cold. It lives along shores in northern countries. A skilled swimmer, it dives for over 10 minutes to hunt. A poor walker, it often falls down. However, its strong pride makes it puff up its chest without a care. It doesn't like to be taken care of. It's difficult to bond with since it won't listen to its Trainer."

"Maybe Michika won't have control over it then!" Yurie noted.

"Start with Morning Sun!" Yui commanded.

Beautifly flew into the air and a bright light shone from its body. Piplup and Michika had to shield their eyes.

"Air Cutter!" Beautifly flapped its wings and energy flew from its body.

"Roll!" Michika quickly ordered.

Piplup, her eyes still closed, quickly tucked and rolled out of the way from the attack, dodging it completely.

"Amazing! Beautifly tried to attempt to blind Piplup with its Morning Sun and then get in a quick attack, but Piplup was just fast enough to get out of the way! With its eyes closed nonetheless!" the announcer yelled.

"Wow," Logan commented while watching from one of the televisions by the concession stand. He had finally found nachos, but they were taking forever.

"Chili?" the vendor asked.

"No thank you! Just cheese and chips!"

"Let's do Bubble!" Michika said.

Piplup jumped into the air and shot a slow slew of bubbles out of her mouth. The bubbles popped against Beautifly, making it retreat back to Yui. Yui's points were already halved.

"We may have to take a more direct approach," Yui said. "Use Mega Drain!"

Beautifly darted forward. She landed onto Piplup and began to absorb energy from the Water-type.

"Use Peck while its close!"

Piplup fought through the pain. She jumped up and jabbed her beak into Beautifly's stomach. The Bug-type was sent flying back.

"Beautifly!" Yui yelled.

"Let's use Bubble one more time!" Michika ordered.

Piplup ran forward and shot her attack once more. It collided with the weakened Beautifly. Beautifly was tossed into the air and landed onto the ground with a hard thud.

"Beautifly, you can-" Yui started, but was interrupted by the sound of a buzzer. She looked back and noticed that all of her points had been depleted. "Oh…"

"What a battle, folks! Michika from Sinnoh just showed us that she's nothing to mess with!"

Logan took his nachos. "I won't say it to her face, but that was brutal. Yurie has quite the challenge ahead of her."

* * *

"Yui!" Yurie yelled when her sister came to the back. "Yui, I'm sorry!"

Yui wiped tears from her eyes. "It's okay. You win some. You lose some."

Yurie gave her a hug.

"Um, thank you," Michika said from behind them. "Your Beautifly is really strong!"

Yui stoke her nose in the air. "Quit being so modest."

Yurie let go over her hug. "What Yui means to say is 'thank you,' but she doesn't know how to say it."

"Good luck in your battle, Yurie," Michika said.

"Yeah. You better not lose. You have to make it to the finals and crush a certain someone," Yui said.

"Alright, next battle!" the announcer said. "Trainer's please take your positions!"

"Gotta go!" Yurie said while running to the stage.

Logan took a seat near the back. Poochyena sat on his lap, and Logan fed him a nacho that was dipped in cheese.

The trainers stood opposite of each other.

"Okay! Let's begin!" the announcer said. "The clock started to countdown and the points appeared on the screen."

Torchic ran forward and posed while Yuki tossed his Poke Ball into the air. A small tan Pokemon with red markings appeared. It stumbled about where it stood.

"Spinda," Logan remarked.

"Torchic, let's use Ember!" Yurie commanded.

Torchic began his attack, shooting small pellets of fire from his mouth.

"Dizzy Punch!" Yuki ordered.

The Pokemon began to charge towards Torchic, waving through the fire easily. It then punched Torchic directly in the beak, sending him flying back. When Torchic stood back up, it began to stumble.

"Not good!" Yurie said.

"It's confused," Logan noted. "Now it's all up to chance."

"We'll try Scratch!"

Torchic stumbled forward and scratched at Spinda using its talons. The Normal-type was damaged a little bit, but managed to avoid a few of the strikes. Torchic fell to the ground, but forced himself to stand back up.

"You can do this, Torchic!" Yurie shouted.

"Psybeam!" Yuki ordered.

Spinda stopped moving and began to shoot purple energy from its eyes. The energy enveloped Torchic, and he screamed in pain.

"Torchic!" Yurie yelled.

"Focus, Yurie," Logan said. "You can get through this."

Torchic fought through the pain and lunged forward. He jabbed his beak into Spinda, knocking it back a few feet.

"Wait, that looks familiar! That was the same as Piplup's move!" Yurie said. "Um… Peck? Yes! Peck!"

"Feint Attack!" Yuki ordered.

Spinda stopped moving, taking a beat of compete stillness before launching its body into Torchic. Torchic fell to the ground. Yurie looked up and noticed that she only had a sliver of points left.

"We have to make this next move count!" she noted.

"Dizzy Punch!"

Spinda began to run forward, weaving all over the place.

"Duck, and then use Peck!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic correctly predicted Spinda's movement and dodged the punch. He then came from below and used a Peck to the jaw. Spinda fell backwards.

"Let's use Ember!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic opened his mouth and screamed while he used his attack. Flames enveloped Spinda, and when the attack finished, Spinda fell to the ground, unable to continue.

"And it looks like Spinda has fainted, which leads us to a Battle Off! Yurie and Torchic win this round!" the announcer said.

"I-I did it?" Yurie asked. She looked up and saw Logan cheering. "I did it!" she ran to Torchic and hugged him. "You were great, Torchic!"

"The next match will be Michika vs. Yurie! Trainer's you may take a short break to rest your Pokemon!" the announcer said while Yurie ran to the back.

"I did it!" she said to Yui. Her older sister gave her a thumbs up.

"Congrats," Michika says. "I'm excited for our battle."

"Michika, I appreciate your good sportsmanship, but right now, you're the enemy," Yui said.

"Yui, stop," Yurie said. She turned to Michika. "Let's do our best!"

Logan, up in the stands, fed Poochyena another nacho covered with cheese. "Isn't this good?" _Yurie has her work cut out for her. Not only does Michika seem to understand general battle strategy, but she also has the type-advantage over Yurie. Piplup vs. Torchic is going to be interesting, but Yurie will have to really give it her all. _

"Alright, trainers! Please come to the stage!"

"Let's do this!" Yurie said to Michika.

"Don't you dare lose, Yurie," Yui said. She turned towards the TV. "Do your best."

The two trainers made their way to the stage. They both stood on opposite sides, their Pokemon already out of their Poke Balls.

"Now we enter into the final round! It's two new trainers Michika vs. Yurie!"

The crowd cheered the loudest that they have so far for the show. Poochyena barked loudly.

"Trainers, begin!"

Torchic and Piplup both ran out onto the stage. They began to stare each other down.

"We'll start with Peck!" Michika said. Piplup ran forward, ready to jab her beak.

"And we'll do the same!" Yurie ordered. Torchic mimicked Piplup's motion. The two Pokemon collided in the middle of the stage, having a small sword fight with their beaks. The two knocked each other back, neither of them phased by the attacks.

"Let's do Ember!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic shot the fire pellets from his mouth.

"Bubble!" Michika said.

Piplup shot her bubbles, and the attacks collided, creating smoke around the stage.

"Nice!" Michika said. "Use Peck!"

Piplup dove into the smoke. She began to drive her beak into Torchic, who was unable to see the attacks coming.

"Torchic, retreat!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic ran to the outside of the smoke. He smiled at Yurie.

"Thank goodness," Yurie said quietly.

Michika ordered Piplup to attack, but Yurie was too focused on Torchic's safety to hear what she said. Suddenly, bubbles came bursting from the smoke. They pelted Torchic repeatedly.

"Roll!" Yurie ordered, remembering Michika's method from her match with Yui.

Torchic tucked and rolled forward, avoiding anymore of Piplup's attack.

"Now, Ember!"

Torchic began his attack, and the fire struck hard against Piplup. When the attack finished, Piplup puffed out her chest and laughed.

"Direct hit, but it barely did anything," Logan muttered. "You can do this, Yurie! Don't give up!"

"Bubble!" Michika ordered.

Piplup jumped into the air and started her attack.

"Duck and weave, and use Scratch!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic ran forward, avoiding all of the Water-type's attack. He lunged and started scratching away with his feet. Piplup screeched.

"It ain't pretty, but it's effective!" Logan remarked. Poochyena barked happily.

"Close-ranged Bubble!"

Piplup knocked away Torchic's talon and then blew her attack directly into Torchic's face. The Fire-type flew through the air and crashed down hard.

"Torchic, are you okay?" Yurie asked. Torchic responded weakly, but stood back up and glared at Piplup.

"Amazing! No matter how much these two Pokemon take, they always get back up!" the announcer yelled.

The two Pokemon walked to the middle of the stage. Piplup puffed out her chest and Torchic straightened his back. They both stared at each other intensely.

"Peck!" both Yurie and Michika ordered.

The two Pokemon began to lunge their beaks forward, clashing repeatedly. They took terms jabbing into each other, slowing the pace down a little bit. Both took a few steps back, breathing deeply. They glared at each other, stood back up straight, and started pecking at each other at an even faster pace.

"Don't give up, Torchic!"

"You got this, Piplup!"

The two Pokemon collided once more and both fell to the ground as the buzzer went off.

"And that's time!" the announcer said. Everyone turned their attention to the scoreboard. Yurie had roughly 10 percent of her score left.

"That ain't too bad," Logan remarked.

"It looks like the winner of the Rustboro City Summer Contest is…" the announcer started. The screen changed, revealing Michika's face. "Imamura Michika by a sliver!"

Yurie sighed. She ran to the middle of the stage and picked up Torchic. "You did great!" She looked at Piplup and gave her a pat on the head. "You're really strong, Piplup!"

"That was really fun!" Michika said. She held out her hand. "That was the most fun I've ever had battling!" She appeared to have tears in her eyes.

Yurie grabbed her hand and shook it. "It was really fun!"

Yurie walked to the back while they presented Michika with the ribbon. She held it high in the air, and the crowd cheered.

"You did good, Yurie," Yui remarked. "I'm genuinely surprised."

"Thank you, Yui."

Yui grabbed her bag. "I know that I said I'd show off my Pokemon tonight, but I think I want to get to training as soon as possible. Maybe we'll see each other again soon."

"Oh, you're leaving?"

"Yeah. I realized that I have to train harder. I have to stay ahead of you. I can see that the competition is gonna be fierce this year."

Yurie laughed. "I mean, I'm not sure if I'm gonna keep competing. This was a one time thing!"

Yui shook her head. "You should keep going. You're really good. It would be a waste of talent for you to stop now." She hugged Yurie. "I'll see you later."

Yurie hugged her back. "Call mom sometime!"

* * *

Logan and Yurie returned to the Pokemon Center, and Yurie had Torchic looked over once again. They sat in the lobby. It was quiet now that it was night time.

"Yurie, you did really good," Logan remarked. "I hate to admit this, but if you keep learning to battle, I think you'll be better than me someday."

"Really? No!" Yurie said.

"No, it's true. You have a natural battler's instinct."

"But I always saw battling as so barbaric," Yurie muttered.

"Yurie?" a familiar voice said quietly. The two turned to find Michika holding her Piplup. "Today was really fun!"

"Michika!" Yurie said. "Congratulations! You look really good with that ribbon!"

"Thank you! Are you gonna continue competing?" she asked.

Yurie stayed silent.

Nurse Joy interrupted them. She was holding Torchic. "Your Torchic is perfectly healthy and happy!"

Yurie stood up and grabbed Torchic. "Thank you!"

Torchic and Piplup looked at each other. They both smiled.

"It looks like they're friendly rivals," Logan said.

Yurie smiled. "I guess so. Michika, I'm going to continue competing! And, I want you to be my rival!"

Michika tried to hold back tears. "I'm so happy!" She bowed. She put down Piplup and then reached into her bag. "My mom bought me a ribbon case before I came to Hoenn. She told me that I should give it to the first friend that I make!" She handed over a silver case to Yurie. "Please use it to keep your ribbons!"

"Thank you so much!"

"So, you're a Coordinator now, Yurie?" Logan asked.

"A what?"

"Coordinator!" Michika exclaimed. "It's what contest goers are called!"

"I guess I am!" Yurie said. She held the ribbon case tightly. "And I'm gonna be the greatest Coordinator in all of Hoenn!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

And there it is. Yurie will be competing in contests. I love writing contests, so I liked doing this. I'm gonna try to stick to posting on Mondays and Fridays Japanese time. I hope that that is okay. I'm gonna continue writing and get far ahead though.

As for contests, this one will probably be one of the longer ones (two chapters) because it had four important characters competing. The next contest, I'll introduce recurring characters, but they won't be as important as Yui or Michika.


	7. Gyudon

Chapter 7 - Gyudon

* * *

Logan, Yurie, and Michika stayed in the Pokémon Center overnight. Their Pokémon slept together, and when Logan woke up, Yurie and Michika were making breakfast.

"We'll have it ready in just a short while!" Michika said. "Take a shower or something!"

Logan groaned. He did as told and took a quick shower, and then looked up where the Pokémon school was located in Rustboro.

"We're gonna go see if we can pay them a visit today," he told Mudkip and Poochyena. They cheered.

Yurie set down a bowl with rice and meat in front of Logan. In a smaller bowl, she gave him an egg.

"Okay, so what's this?" he asked.

"Gyudon!" Yurie answered. "It's not traditional breakfast, but sometimes it's fun to eat in the morning."

Yurie and Michika sat down. "Itadakimasu!" the said in unison. Logan mumbled his way through it. Yurie and Michika picked up their egg, cracked it, and poured the insides into the rice. They began to stir the rice with the meat and egg.

"Raw egg?!" Logan questioned.

"Yeah! It's delicious!" Michika declared.

"But won't you get sick? He asked.

Yurie shook her head. "I never have. Try it!"

"But it's raw!" he said. He lifted the egg and cracked it against the bowl. Slowly, the insides dripped out onto the meat. Logan felt uneasy about eating it.

"It's really good with this!" Michika said while handing him over a sweet sauce. He poured a little bit on it.

The two watched and Logan took a bite. He chewed for a bit, and it soon dawned on him how delicious it was. He couldn't let them know though.

"It's good, I guess," he said cooly. The two girls laughed.

Everyone finished their meals quickly, and Michika packed her things.

"You really have to leave already?" Yurie asked.

Michika nodded. "Yeah. I want to keep training and getting stronger. After I've won five ribbons, I'll relax a little bit more."

Yurie and Michika hugged, Torchic and Piplup danced with each other for a bit, and then they were on their way.

Yurie sighed. "That was nice." She looked at Logan. "So, what are we doing today?"

Logan lifted his bag onto his shoulder. "Well, I'm wanting to go to the Pokémon School. I figured you'd go and find some nice food or something."

Yurie nodded. She wanted to join Logan, but didn't want to annoy him. "We meet back here tonight?"

"Sounds good to me!"

The two went their separate ways. Logan went to the southern area of the city while Yurie decided to go north. She didn't have a goal in mind. A day in the city sounded great to her. She and Torchic went to various stores, and Torchic helped her choose clothes to wear for future contests.

"I think you really get fashion, Torchic," she told her Pokémon. Torchic happily danced around. "We both have to look our best going forward!" She continued to look through the shopping mall. She had never seen so many shops in her life. She purchased a few more outfits and then came across a shop that specialized in hats. Torchic walked in and pointed his beak towards a black hat with a white Poké Ball image on the front.

"You like this hat?" she asked. Torchic nodded. Yurie thought for a second. "This hat would look really good on Logan, don't you think?"

* * *

The Pokémon School was giant. Young students sat on the campus grass. Some were studying, others were eating food, and some seemed to be trading cards with one another.

Logan walked into the school and took a look around. He was greeted by one of the receptionists.

"Can we help you?" she asked.

"I'm a visitor from Unova. My friend is a teacher here, and I wanted to visit her," he explained.

"And who is your friend?"

"Logan!" a voice shouted from behind him. Logan turned to see his friend, Mao.

"Hey, Mao!" he said happily. "I figured that'd I'd come and visit you while I'm in the city."

Mao gave him a hug. "I saw that you were apart of the contest! Too bad you didn't win it, but it's always nice to see you on television."

"Are you busy today?" Logan asked.

She nodded. "I am. I'm teaching a class, but you're welcome to join me. I'm sure my students would love to meet someone from the Unova region!"

* * *

"Class, today we have a special guest! Please welcome Logan from the Unova region!" Mao said. Her class, mostly students who would go onto be trainers next year, all clapped for him. He shyly bowed.

"Thanks for having me," he said.

"Logan and I have been friends for almost two years now," she told the class. Logan nodded. "We competed against each other in Unova League."

"And Mao beat me," he said with a laugh.

Mao smiled. "I think Logan is one of the strongest trainers that I've ever met. He's one of the people who took me to my limit as a Pokémon trainer. Are you competing in the Hoenn League, Logan?"

Logan shook his head. "I don't plan on it." The kids groaned. "I'm more here for vacation."

"That's too bad," Mao said. "I'd love to see you compete again. But that's enough about our guest. Today, we're discussing status ailments!"

Logan took a seat at the back of the class.

"Who can tell me the status ailments?"

One of the kids looked at Logan. "I've seen your battle against Mao-sensei. You're really strong!"

Logan smiled. "Thank you."

* * *

"Do you think he'll like it?" Yurie asked while she held onto the hat. "Or is it weird that I bought it?"

"Torchic!" the Pokémon chirped.

"I'm gonna assume that you said he'll like it."

"Yurie!" a voice called. Yurie looked up and saw the old man that they had met in Petalburg woods. "Yurie, it's nice to see you!"

"Oh, hello!"

"I saw your performance yesterday on TV. You and Torchic are quite the team."

"You saw?"

The man laughed. "Everyone in Rustboro City saw. What are you doing today?"

"I went shopping, and now I'm just kind of walking around in circles," she answered.

"And Logan?"

"He went to the Pokémon School."

"I see," he said. He ran his fingers through his beard. "Would you be interested in taking a tour of the Devon Corporation building?" He pointed to the building behind him. "I told our president about you and your friend, and he said he'd love to meet you."

"That sounds fun, right Torchic?"

"Torchic!"

"He agrees!"

* * *

"Your class is interesting," Logan told Mao. They were walking through the halls of the school. "When we went to school, it was small. There were only four of us."

"Well, Rustboro is a big city, so we gotta teach a lot of kids," Mao exclaimed. "So, what brought you here? You want a rematch?"

Logan laughed. "No. No. I'm okay. I just wanted to see you again. Ever since you became a teacher, I haven't seen you. You moved to Hoenn."

"Why aren't you taking on the league?" Mao asked suddenly. "You're one of the best trainers. You made simple mistakes in your battles, and that's the only reason why you didn't move onto the finals. Had you beaten me, you would have easily swept the finals of Unova."

"I guess I'm not okay with losing again." Logan said. "My first loss, it was okay. It was something that I could learn from. But when you lose in front of the whole world, twice, because of small slip ups, it's embarrassing."

"You always struck me as someone who stood back up when they were knocked down," Mao said. "I don't mean to discourage you. I just never could imagine you in this state."

"I'll be okay. I just have some thinking to do."

"I want to introduce you to someone."

"Who?"

"She's the headteacher of the school. I know that she'd love to meet someone who's competed against me," Mao explained. The two continued down the hallway, and Mao opened up the door to the teacher's room. She looked around the room for the headteacher. "Ah, there she is!" She waved over a girl who looked only a few years older than Logan. She approached them.

"Hello, Mao. Who's this?" she asked.

"Tsutsuji, this is Logan. I may have mentioned him before. He's a trainer from Unova," Mao said. "Logan, this is Tsutsuji."

"I think that may be hard for foreigners to pronounce. You can call me Roxanne," she said.

"I can remember that," Logan said. He smiled. "So, you're the headteacher?"

"Yeah. I organize events for the school. If I remember correctly, you competed against Mao in Unova? I also saw you on TV last night. You were in the contest," she said.

Logan nodded. "Yeah, I didn't do very well."

"It's always nice to meet strong trainers," Roxanne remarked.

"Don't get too excited. He's not taking on the league," Mao explained.

"That's too bad. I'd love a battle," Roxanne said.

"I get that a lot."

"Roxanne is the Rustboro City Gym Leader," Mao said.

Logan's eyes widened. "Gym Leader?"

"Yeah. I haven't had a good challenger in awhile. Kind of got my hopes up."

Logan smiled. "Well, maybe one battle couldn't hurt."

* * *

"So, Yurie. Today we're gonna be running one of our experiments on ancient Pokémon," the man said as the two of them walked through the Devon Corp building. "I think it'd be an interesting thing for you to see."

"What kind of experiment?" Yurie asked.

"Nothing nefarious!" the man said with a smile. "We are going to attempt to resurrect ancient Pokémon using their DNA from stones."

"You mentioned that before. The president's son created that division?"

"You're right, I did," a voice said from behind them. They turned to find a young man with grey hair. "My name is Steven Stone."

"Yurie," she said. She recognized Steven, but couldn't remember from where.

"Do you have an interest in ancient Pokémon, Yurie?" Steven asked.

Yurie shook her head. "I've never really given it much thought."

"Well then. This will be a good experience for you to see! It's not everyday that anyone meets a Pokémon from millions of years ago," Steven said.

The three of them walked into a giant room filled with scientists and machines. In the middle of the room sat a large stone with a claw imprint on it. Steven handed Yurie a pair of goggles, and she took a seat next to the old man behind a desk.

"Alright, let's get started," Steven said.

The lights in the room lowered and everyone got quiet. A scientist slowly moved a red lever while other scientists frantically typed on keyboards. The machine in the middle began to move and four lasers were shot directly at the stone. The stone began to glow.

"Levels?" Steven asked.

"They're stable," a scientist answered.

The lasers continued to blast at the stone and it turned completely white. The lasers stopped and the stone started to morph. Within moments it had turned into a small Pokémon. It looked around nervously at all of the people staring at it.

"Anorith," Steven said quietly. He approached the Pokémon with his hand out. "Absolutely beautiful."

Yurie thought about using her Pokédex, but she didn't want to be rude. She stared intensely at the Pokémon.

"What do you think, Yurie?" the man asked.

"Even ancient Pokémon are cute."

Suddenly one the scientists dashed towards the ancient Pokémon. He grabbed Anorith and started running for the door.

"Stop him!" the man yelled.

Another scientist stepped in his way, but was knocked down to the ground. The intruder turned around and smiled. "The end will justify the means!"

"It's that fake pirate!" Yurie screamed.

The pirate ran out into the hallway, and the scientists alongside Yurie and the old man followed. The pirate turned around and threw a Poké Ball. His Poochyena appeared.

"I'm not afraid to take on all of you!" he screamed.

Suddenly a Poké Ball flew past the group and landed in front of Poochyena. A giant metal Pokémon appeared and the pirate froze with fear. The metal Pokémon slammed down one of its four legs and roared.

"I'm gonna ask that you give back that Anorith," Steven said calmly. "Or else."

The pirate slowly put down Anorith. He called back his Poochyena. "If I go back with nothing, they'll punish me!"

"Who will?" Steven asked.

The pirate hesitated and then turned around. He began to run away again. "Remember the name Team Aqua! We will save this region! We will save the world!" He jumped through a window to the outside and disappeared.

"That was strange," Steven said. He picked up Anorith. "You okay, buddy?"

"Team Aqua," Yurie muttered.

* * *

"A lot of our students watch old archive footage from the different leagues around the world. This is so we can give them examples of top-tier battle techniques. Occasionally, we put on small exhibitions at the school to show the students what a live Pokémon battle looks like," Roxanne explained. "If you have the time, would you care to have a battle with me? I'd like to show them both."

"Unfortunately, I don't have my old team with me. I have sort of restarted, and I only have two Pokémon," Logan replied. He looked down at Poochyena. "But they're nothing to laugh at."

"I know from experience that even when your Pokémon were lower level, your battles were still remarkable," Mao commented.

"No matter what Pokémon you have, I'm itching to face you," Roxanne said. "And I'm sure our students would love to watch."

Logan thought on it for a moment. "Okay. Let's do this."

Roxanne smiled. "Not today though. Unfortunately, we do have classes we have to teach, but tomorrow, we can shift things around. Come to the Rustboro Gym at noon, and let's put on a show," Roxanne explained.

"I'll do my best."

"I'd expect nothing less. Now, I have to be off. Have a class on correct berry usage. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, Roxanne was off, and Logan and Mao were left alone.

"I guess I'll be seeing you tomorrow," Mao said. She leaned forward and gave Logan a hug. "It has been great meeting with you again."

"You too."

Mao pulled back and looked at Logan. "So, I've been meaning to ask, but where's Luna?"

Logan froze. He slowly stepped back. "It's complicated. We-we uh, we're no longer traveling together."

"I see. That's too bad. You two were a great team," Mao said.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. But sometimes good teams will fight with each other."

Mao pat Logan's hand. "I have to go too. You should prepare for tomorrow. Roxanne is no pushover."

"I'll start that now."

* * *

"Team Aqua?" the president of Devon Corp asked. He patted his tubby belly. "I've never heard of them before."

"He didn't appear to be a real threat. Whenever Metagross appeared, he tucked his tail and ran," Steven explained.

"It was the same boy who tried to attack me in the woods," the old man said. "If it weren't for Yurie and her friend, I would have been in danger."

The president looked at Yurie. "Thank you for all of your help, dear!"

Yurie shook her head. "I didn't do anything. It was my friend who helped."

"No. No. You guided me through the woods, Yurie!" the man said. "You kept me safe."

Yurie smiled.

"You're a Pokémon Coordinator, Yurie?" the president asked.

"A what?"

"A Pokémon Coordinator? You're doing contests, right?"

Yurie remembered. "Oh yeah! I'm gonna be the best Pokémon Coordinator in Hoenn!" She put her thumbs up.

The president stood up and walked to Yurie. He handed her a small orange device. "I want you to have this! It's called a PokéNav!"

"PokéNav?"

"Yeah, it's one of our newest creations. You're holding one of the first ones we've completed," Steven explained.

"The PokéNav can be used as a map. You can also receive news on it. You can keep up to date on upcoming contests and even winners of contests. I think it'll be useful for you," the president said.

"Thank you!" Yurie opened up the PokéNav and took a look at it. "Hey! It's Michika!"

"Thanks for helping my associate!"

"It looks like there's an upcoming contest in Slateport City. That's not too far of a trip, if I'm reading this map correctly," Yurie noted.

"Then I guess that's your next destination!" Steven said. "There's a ferry that you can take there. It's right outside Petalburg Woods. The captain is incredibly nice."

Back at the Pokémon Center, Logan sat in the lobby with his Pokémon. He flipped through his Unova Pokédex, looking up information on the two Pokémon while they played with each other.

"It looks like Poochyena don't generally learn a lot of offensive moves at an early level, so I may have to try to teach him something different. And as for Mudkip, offensively he's okay. I think I should focus on leveling up."

"Hey, Logan!" Yurie said while she walked into the lobby. "How was the Pokémon School?"

"It was fun!" he saw the amount of bags that she was carrying. "You sure know how to shop."

"I'm going to send it by mail to my mom! She'll be so proud of me!"

"I don't get it."

Yurie pulled the black hat from her bag. "I bought you this! It was Torchic's idea though!" she nervously handed it over.

Logan took a look at it. "It's nice! I really like it!" He tried it on. "And it's a perfect fit!"

"You got a big head, so I was worried." she looked at Logan's Pokédex. "What you doin'?"

"Well, if you must know, I have a battle tomorrow with the headteacher. I'm strategizing."

"Wow! Serious stuff!"

"Yeah. The headteacher is also the gym leader of Rustboro City, so it is serious," Logan said.

"The gym leader? Are you competing?"

Logan shook his head. "For now, it's just a showcase match for students."

"I see."

"But I'd like a training partner," Logan said. "If you're gonna spend one more night in Rustboro, I'd love if you could help me. Also, would you want to come watch? I wasn't sure if you'd want to stay in Rustboro another day."

Yurie paused. "I was gonna go to Slateport City city next, but I can stay one more day!"

"Thank you, Yurie!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Trying to dive a little bit into Logan's past in this chapter without flat out doing flashbacks and the like. Hope you enjoyed it. Mao will occasionally be someone who pops up. She's based off of one of my friends who is half Japanese and half Chinese but speaks perfect English, so I chose a name that works for both cultures.

Also, I'll be using the gym leader's Japanese names. I think I'll try to reference their English names if possible, but I don't want to force it.


	8. Vending Machine Food

Chapter 8 - Vending Machine Food

* * *

Logan and Yurie trained until it was nighttime. Yurie went to bed a little bit earlier while Logan spent extra time trying to perfect Poochyena's new move late into the night. Once he finished, he handed his Pokémon off to Nurse Joy, and they were refreshed by the morning.

"So, what do you want to eat today?" Yurie asked Logan.

"My battle is at noon. I ate some of the food from the Pokémon Center vending machine for breakfast," he said. Yurie looked shocked.

"You're currently in the city with the best meals in Hoenn, and you ate vending machine food?" Yurie asked angrily. "What is wrong with you?"

"It said apple pie, and it was good," Logan replied. He looked taken aback by Yurie's intensity. "I guess I'll wait to eat next time."

"Good!" Yurie said. "So, did Poochyena get the move down?"

Logan nodded. "I think so. If the target is still, then it's no problem. We didn't get much practice with a moving target, but I'm sure we'll figure something out." Poochyena smiled. "This is really exciting!"

"I'm gonna see my first gym battle! Make sure that you win or else all of my efforts from last night go to waste!"

The two started for the Rustboro Gym. When they found it, children waited outside. They looked at Logan and whispered to each other. Logan waved and the younger girls hid their faces.

"You're like a superstar," Yurie noted.

"Kawahara Yurie!" a little girl who approached Yurie yelled. She held out a flier from the Rustboro City Summer Contest. "Can you sign this please!"

"Sign?" Yurie wondered.

"You're like a superstar," Logan said.

"I'm glad you made it," Roxanne said. All of the students went quiet. "Are you ready for our battle?"

Logan nodded.

"Good. Since you mentioned yesterday that you only have two Pokémon at the moment, I chose two Pokémon of my own. Let's show my students what an official battle looks like." Roxanne walked into the gym and her students followed. While they were sitting down, Mao found Logan and Yurie.

"Hello!" she said. "Oh! You were in the contest! I didn't know you were friends."

"Who's this?" Yurie asked.

"This is my old friend! She won the Vertress Conference in Unova," Logan explained.

"I don't know what that is!" Yurie replied.

"Let's get started," Mao said. "You can sit in the crowd and cheer on Logan."

Yurie nodded. She quickly found a seat near the front of the crowd and sat. The little girl from before forced her way to the seat next to her and smiled at Yurie.

Mao put on an earpiece with a microphone attached. The crowd got silent. "Welcome one and all to this special showdown event! Today we have our headteacher Tsutsuji-sensei going against special guest, Logan Stephenson, from the Unova region! Please give him a warm welcome!" The crowd clapped and cheered. "This battle will be a one on one singles battle. Both trainers are allowed two Pokémon. Only the challenger is allowed to make substitutions. There is no time limit. Trainers, begin when ready!"

Roxanne lifted her Poké Ball. "Let's demonstrate how we battle! Go, Graveler!" Her Pokémon burst from its Poké Ball and glared at Logan.

"Graveler, the Rock Pokémon. Graveler grows by feeding on rocks. Apparently, it prefers to eat rocks that are covered in moss. This Pokémon eats it way through a ton of rocks on a daily basis. They are so brutal, they smash aside obstructing trees and massive boulders with thunderous tackles," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"That Graveler looks a bit different from the ones that I found in Alola," Logan remarked. "Let's do this, Mudkip!" Mudkip appeared from his Poké Ball and danced around a little bit before seeing Graveler. He got on all fours and prepared to battle.

"The challenger is given the first move," Roxanne said.

"Sounds good to me! Let's start with Water Gun!"

Mudkip shot a stream of water from its mouth.

"Defense Curl."

Graveler rolled into a ball, and the water was a direct hit, but it barely seemed to have bothered the Rock-type.

"That's insane," Logan remarked. "Quite the defense."

"Now, use Rock Throw!"

Graveler dug its hands into the ground. He ripped rocks from the earth and tossed them into the air.

"Jump on the rocks, and let's get into the air!"

Mudkip did as told. He jumped onto one of the rocks and then the second, and within moments, Mudkip was soaring in the air.

"Use Water Gun again!"

Mudkip shot towards Graveler, but before they could collide, water burst from his mouth. It connected with Graveler, making the Pokémon roll back.

"Not bad," Roxanne said. "Takedown!"

Mudkip landed back on the ground, and Graveler immediately crashed into him. The Water-type was sent back a few feet.

"Rock Slide!"

Graveler repeated its motions from before, but this time, the entire stadium shook. Graveler flung multiple rocks into the air, and they landed on Mudkip before Logan could respond.

"Mudkip!" Logan yelled.

From the dust and smoke, Mudkip emerged. He growled at Graveler.

"You okay?" Logan asked. Mudkip nodded. "Then let's keep going. Mudkip, use Mud-Slap!"

Mudkip dug his paws into the ground and made the area around him wet and muddy. He then flung mud into the air, and it landed directly onto Graveler.

"Didn't do much," Roxanne remarked. "Let's finish this with Rock Slide!"

Graveler cried out as it tossed its rocks into the air. The rocks completely overshot though, and missed Mudkip by a few feet.

"Did exactly what I needed it to! Mudkip, give it your strongest Water Gun!"

Mudkip took in a deep breath and shot a strong burst of water from his mouth. The water collided with Graveler, and the Pokémon rolled over. It was over.

"Graveler is no longer able to battle! Mudkip wins!"

The crowd cheered.

"My own students rooting against me?" Roxanne said with a laugh. "I'll remember that." She returned Graveler. "You are good."

"Thank you. Your Graveler was strong, and had this been any other Pokémon, I think I would have lost. Mudkip was the perfect match for you," Logan said.

"Well, my next Pokémon is going to amaze you. Nosepass, let's do it!" Roxanne said while tossing her Poké Ball into the air. A Pokémon with a giant nose appeared. It stood very still.

"Nosepass, the Compass Pokémon. Nosepass's magnetic nose is always pointed to the north. If two of these Pokémon meet, they cannot turn their faces to each other when they are close because their magnetic noses repel one another. Nosepass had been said to be completely unmoving, with its magnetic nose pointed due north. However, close observation has revealed that the Pokémon actually moves by a little over 3/8 of an inch every year," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"Seems like a hard Pokémon to train," Yurie remarked.

The little girl nodded. "Very hard, but Tsutsuji-sensei is strong enough!"

"I've never seen one of those before," Logan said. _This is so exciting!_

"You can have the first attack," Roxanne told him.

"Got it! Use Water Gun!"

Mudkip shot water from its mouth, this time a bit weaker than before.

"Dodge," Roxanne said. Nosepass smoothly slid to the side, easily avoiding the attack. "Rock Tomb."

Nosepass lifted its arms and rocks burst from the ground. The rocks fell around Mudkip and then moved in closer, trapping him.

"Mudkip, no!"

"Zap Cannon!"

Electric energy formed in front of Nosepass. The energy eventually took the form of a ball. When it was fully formed, Nosepass shot it. It collided with Mudkip and destroyed the rocks around him. When the smoke cleared, Mudkip was unconscious.

"Mudkip is unable to battle! Nosepass wins!" Mao said.

The crowd cheered again. Roxanne smiled at her students.

Logan returned his Pokémon. "Well, this puts me in a tough spot." He looked down at Poochyena. "But that's when I perform my best! Poochyena, let's do this!"

Poochyena ran forward and barked.

"Let's get in close! Use Tackle" Logan ordered.

Poochyena dashed forward. He smashed his body into Nosepass, but the Rock-type was unphased.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that," Roxanne said. "Use Rock Tomb!"

Nosepass repeated his motions from before, but Logan was quick this time.

"Another Tackle!"

Poochyena once again slammed his body into Nosepass. This knocked the Rock-type off balance, and it stopped its attack.

"Bite!"

Poochyena bit down onto one of Nosepass's arms.

"Harden," Roxanne said calmly.

Nosepass started to glow slightly, and Poochyena let go. The Dark-type shook his head and winced.

"It looks like Bite and Tackle are going to be out of the question," Logan noted. "Use Sand-Attack!"

Poochyena flung dirt in the air, and it hit Nosepass in the face. The Rock-type looked slightly bothered, but didn't move much.

"Zap Cannon," Roxanne ordered.

Nosepass began to charge his attack, and within moments, the ball of lightning was flung through the air.

"Dodge it!"

Poochyena easily avoided the attack by jumping over it. He then leapt towards the Nosepass.

"Let's try it out! Iron Tail!"

Poochyena jumped into the air and then span around. He smashed his tail against Nosepass, knocking the Rock-type to the ground. It slowly stood back up and turned to Poochyena.

"Iron Tail?" Roxanne wonder out loud. "You prepared well."

"I'll be honest, I got lucky," Logan said. "But in my experience, Iron Tail can come in handy early on. I've taught it to a lot of my Pokémon in the past."

"It won't be enough," Roxanne said. "Rock Tomb!"

Using its energy, Nosepass lifted rocks into the air. They smashed down onto Poochyena and trapped him. The Pokémon howled.

"No! Poochyena!" Logan yelled.

"Use Zap Cannon!"

Nosepass repeated its motions, and it shot the electric burst straight towards Poochyena.

"Poochyena!"

"If that hits, he's done," Yurie remarked. She clenched her fists.

The ball of energy suddenly veered to the side. It crashed behind Poochyena, completely missing the Dark-type.

"What?" Roxanne asked in disbelief.

"That was a gamble," Logan muttered. "Zap Cannon is already a risky move to do. It has about a 50 percent success rate. But I also know that you use Rock Tomb to increase the chances of getting in a hit."

Roxanne smiled. "But you tried to balance it out again by using Sand-Attack previously. You made it 50/50 again."

"And it looks like it paid off! Poochyena, break free with Iron Tail and then attack!"

Poochyena burst from its rocky prison and then darted forward.

"Rock Slide!"

Nosepass used its energy to lift dozens of rocks into the air. They began to crash down, but Poochyena avoided every single one by jumping on them. He then fell from the sky and smashed his hardened tail into the Rock-type. Nosepass fell backwards, unconscious.

Mao held up her flag. "Nosepass is unable to battle. The winner is Poochyena! And Logan Stephenson from Unova takes the battle!"

The crowd cheered loudly, some jumping with joy. Yurie clapped as fast as she could.

"You did great, Poochyena," Logan said to his Pokémon. He picked him and held him close. "I'm very proud of you." Poochyena responded with a happy bark.

"You are very strong, Logan," Roxanne said while she comforted her Pokémon. "I believed that once I beat your Mudkip that this battle was mine, but that was foolish of me." She looked out at her students cheering. "I think my students can take a lot from our battle, and I've learned a thing or two."

Mao punched Logan in the arm. "You still got it!"

"Thank you," Logan said.

Roxanne returned Nosepass. She walked up to Logan, and Mao handed her a small box.

"I know that you said you're not taking on the league, but the rules are very clear," she said. "I am to present anyone who beats me with the Stone Badge. You've earned it."

Logan opened up the box and smiled. "Thank you." He held it high and looked over at Yurie. She smiled back at him.

"So, what now?" Roxanne asked. "Are you going to continue sightseeing in Hoenn?"

"That battle rejuvenated me," Logan said. He pet Poochyena. "We're gonna take on the Hoenn League."

Mao poked him in the nose and laughed. "That's what I want to hear! Seeing you battle almost makes me want to get back into competition myself."

"I'd love a rematch one day," he responded.

She grinned. "Maybe when I don't have classes."

"You did it, Logan! And you got a button!" Yurie said. She smacked Logan on the back.

"Why do people keep hitting me? And it's called a Gym Badge," he explained.

"If he collects eight of them, then he can compete in the Hoenn League tournament," Roxanne said.

"So you're competing?" Yurie asked. Logan nodded. "That's wonderful! That's-that's wonderful."

"Keep me updated on your progress," Mao said.

Roxanne turned to her students. They all went quiet. "I hope you learned a lot from today's battle. Now, I have some good news. You don't have to clean the school today." The class cheered. "Instead, you get to clean the gym. It'll be a good experience!" The class groaned in unison.

Logan and Yurie stayed behind and helped the students put back the gym in order. Afterwards, they ate with the students and their teachers. When all was finished, they went back to the Pokémon Center.

"So, where's the next gym?" Yurie asked. She was looking at her PokéNav and making notes on upcoming contests.

"Mao mentioned that it was in a place called Dewford. I have to go there by boat," Logan explained. "I figured I'll head out first thing tomorrow morning."

"My next contest is in Slateport, which is on the way to Dewford!" Yurie said.

"I see!" Logan replied. Yurie was hoping for more than that.

"How about we go together? I'd like to see Dewford. There's supposed to be good surfing locations there!"

"You surf?"

"Nope!"

Logan laughed. "Well, if you don't mind, I'd like to travel with you a bit longer. Can't hurt to have a companion!"

"I agree!" Yurie said with a smile.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

And there it is. Logan will start competing in the Hoenn League now. I wanted to at least start the story off a bit different.

Thanks for reading! How well do you think Logan will do against Brawly?


	9. Onigiri

Chapter 9 - Onigiri

* * *

It had been two days since Logan's battle with Roxanne. The two found themselves inside Petalburg Woods once more. This time, Yurie didn't need to hold onto Logan. She instead walked ahead and tried to get as many pictures of the Pokémon that she could.

"Make sure that you don't startle any Pokémon. We don't want any trouble," Logan said.

"I'm being careful!" Yurie responded. Suddenly Torchic came running from a bush. He had angered a Shroomish, who tried spraying its toxins at the Fire-type.

"I wasn't talking to you," Logan remarked.

"Don't embarrass me, Torchic," Yurie whispered. The Pokémon held its head down low, but it kept an eye on the Shroomish.

The group moved into the middle of the forest where they had originally met the old man and the pirate.

"Did I tell you that I saw that pirate again the other day?" Yurie asked.

Logan nodded. "No. Sounds like something you should have mentioned. What happened?"

"Well, when I went to the Devon Corporation, they revived an ancient Pokémon. It was really cool!" Yurie said. "But then the pirate came back and tried to steal it."

"Did he get away?"

"Not with the Pokémon. The president's son has a really strong Pokémon, and without even having to attack, he was able to get back the ancient Pokémon."

"Sounds like the kind of trainer I'd like to meet."

"Before the pirate escaped though, he mentioned that he was a part of a group called Team Aqua," Yurie mentioned.

Logan looked at her quizzingly. "Team Aqua? That's odd. When I was in Unova, I came across a group called Team Plasma. I wonder if it's an evil guy thing to call your group 'Team Blank,'" he said with a laugh.

"We should probably be careful going forward, just in case. That guy before was clearly a grunt of some sort," Yurie said.

"We'll take it as we go. Let's not worry too much about it," Logan replied.

Suddenly, a figured blew past the trainers. It smacked against a tree and then fell into a slump.

"Team Aqua?" Yurie screamed.

"I don't think so," Logan responded as he went to check on the figure. He picked up an out cold Slakoth. "What the?"

A scream came from up in the trees. The duo looked up to find a singular Pokémon picking up and tossing the different Slakoth to the ground. Some tried to retreat, but they were too slow.

"What's happening?" Yurie asked while she pulled out her Pokédex.

"Vigoroth, the Wild Monkey Pokémon. Vigoroth is always itching and agitated to go on a wild rampage. It simply can't tolerate sitting still for even a minute. This Pokémon's stress level rises if it can't be moving constantly. Even when it tries to sleep, the blood in its veins grows agitated, compelling this Pokémon to run wild throughout the jungle before it can settle down. If it doesn't, it can't sleep at night," the Pokédex chimed.

"It's hurting those Slakoth!" Yurie said. "We should do something!"

Logan ran forward. "Hey, Vigoroth! Stop it now!"

The Pokémon stopped its rampage. It looked down at the trainers and it slowly made its way down to the ground. It stood up straight, attempting to intimidate Logan.

"You don't scare me," Logan said. Vigoroth smiled and showed its claws.

"Are you sure about this?" Yurie asked. "It looks like it wants to hurt you."

"You ready, Poochyena?" His Pokémon nodded.

Vigoroth lunged forward. It started to swipe furiously at Poochyena, getting in a few strikes. Poochyena backed up a few feet.

"Tackle!" Logan ordered.

Vigoroth tried its attack once more, but Poochyena ducked and rammed his body into Vigoroth's body, sending the Pokémon a few feet back. Vigoroth stood strong though.

"May be a bit stronger than I thought," Logan muttered. He turned to Yurie. "We should run."

"Run?"

"Yeah. We should at least get Vigoroth away from the Slakoth. And if worst comes to worst, you'll be able to escape," Logan explained.

Yurie nodded, and the group started to run away. Vigoroth followed, but its little legs made it lag behind. Once the group had run for a good five minutes, they stopped. Vigoroth caught up with them, but didn't look the least bit tired.

"It's got a lot of energy," Yurie remarked.

Logan took in deep breaths. "Take a break, Poochyena. Mudkip will do the rest." The exhausted Poochyena laid down. Torchic joined him. Logan lifted his Poké Ball and released Mudkip. Mudkip came out, danced a little, and then noticed Vigoroth.

"Vigoroth!" the Pokémon cried out angrily. It charged forward and started to scratch repeatedly.

"Use Mud-Slap!"

Mudkip soaked the area around him and then tossed mud at Vigoroth. The Normal-type swiped away the mud and then screamed at Mudkip. It started to swing its arm haphazardly, getting in a few strikes.

"We should probably try to keep a distance," Logan said. "Use Water Gun, and don't let up!"

Mudkip nodded and shot a stream of water from his mouth. The water connected, and Vigoroth rolled backwards. The attack continued, and Vigoroth let out a scream. It dashed forward, plowing through the water. Its right claw started to glow, and it slashed hard at Mudkip, making the attack stop. Vigoroth stood over Mudkip and prepared to deal a final blow.

"Mudkip!" Logan yelled. He started to run forward.

Suddenly, Poochyena leapt through the air. He drove his tail into Vigoroth, making the Pokémon fly into a nearby try. Poochyena stood above Mudkip.

Logan stopped. "Oh thank goodness."

Poochyena barked, and Mudkip stood up. Vigoroth recovered and glared at the two Pokémon.

"It's not necessarily a fair fight, but anything goes in the woods," Logan said with a laugh.

The Vigoroth started to charge at Logan's Pokémon. It raised its arms.

"Double Tackle!" Logan ordered.

His two Pokémon lunged forward, sending the Vigoroth back once more. It stood back up slowly this time, taking heavy breaths. It winced at the pain.

"It's taken so much," Yurie said. "Its resilience is insane."

"Mudkip, Water Gun! Poochyena, when you see an opening, use Iron Tail!"

Mudkip started its attack, and Vigoroth took it unflinchingly. It started to charge through the stream, but Poochyena leapt over it and smashed its tail into the Vigoroth's head. Vigoroth fell to the ground and didn't move.

"You did it!" Yurie yelled. "That was really scary."

Logan reached into his bag and pulled out the Luxury Ball he had received almost a week earlier. He tossed it into the air, and it connected with Vigoroth, absorbing the Pokémon.

"Wait, what are you doing? You want to bring it with us?" Yurie asked worriedly.

Logan watched the ball rock back and forth. "It's better that Vigoroth comes with us rather than keeping it here to terrorize the others."

The ball let out a soft ding, and Vigoroth was caught. Logan walked over to the ball and picked it up. "And since I used a Luxury Ball, maybe Vigoroth can get some much needed rest." He pushed the button on the ball, releasing Vigoroth. The Pokémon sat on the ground. It looked confused.

"Vigoroth?" it asked Poochyena and Mudkip.

Logan knelt down. "Hey, Vigoroth. Sorry about all of that! I was hoping you'd join my team! You got this nice and comfy Luxury Ball to relax in."

Vigoroth glared at him.

Logan turned to Yurie. "Can I get one of those rice balls you made?"

Yurie nodded. She reached into her bag and handed him a rice ball wrapped in plastic. "They're actually called onigiri, but here you go."

Logan grabbed it and unwrapped the plastic. He sprinkled some spices on it, and handed it over to Vigoroth. "Try this!"

Vigoroth sniffed it and then slowly took it from his hand. It turned and took a bite. It paused for a second and then finished the rest of it quickly. It turned back around and held out its hand.

"No, just one for now," Logan said.

The Vigoroth screamed at him.

"Don't be selfish!" Logan exclaimed. "If you come with us and you're good, you'll get more."

Yurie checked her Pokédex. "It looks like this Vigoroth is actually female. I'm glad that we can add another girl to the group."

Vigoroth huffed. She pointed at the Luxury Ball. Logan nodded and then returned her to the ball. He let out a deep sigh.

"That was rough," he said. He returned Mudkip and then picked up Poochyena. "But you both did great."

"I was really nervous there for a second," Yurie remarked. "I'm glad that I didn't have to save you!"

Logan laughed. "Well, I'll be counting on you someday in the future! I hope that you'll have my back."

"Anytime!"

* * *

The two finished their journey through the forest in the afternoon. They followed Yurie's map, and ended up at the port nearby Petalburg City.

"This is familiar," Logan said.

"Oh yeah?"

"This is where I landed when I came to Hoenn," he explained.

"Hey, kid!" a voice called. The two turned and saw the old man that brought Logan to Hoenn. "Already trying to leave Hoenn, huh? Too hot?" He had a white and blue bird Pokémon perched on his shoulder.

The two ran to him. "Actually, I was thinking about taking on the Hoenn League. This is my friend, Yurie. She's a Pokémon Coordinator."

"Yeah! I am!"

"It's nice to meet you, Yurie," the old man said. "What are you two doing around here?"

"We heard that we can get a ride from this port to Dewford. I'm wanting to head to Slateport eventually though," Yurie explained. "Do you know anyone who could give us a ride?"

The man nodded. "I'll take you two to Dewford no problem! I have some business there anyways. It'll take us all night, if that's okay."

"That sounds great!" Logan said.

"We don't have a lot of money, but I'll make you a meal!" Yurie exclaimed.

The man nodded. "That sounds wonderful!" He looked down at Poochyena. "I see that you've given your Poochyena my Wailmer towel. It looks good on him."

"I think so," Logan said.

"Well, let's get ready to go!" the man said. He motioned them towards his boat. "Time to hit the high seas!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

A shorter chapter than usual. I want to try to keep things flowing. I'm gonna try to have something happen in every chapter that will move the story forward in some way. When I originally wrote fanfiction, I wrote a lot of filler chapters. With this story, I don't want to write a lot the filler aspects. I want to get to the main point of every chapter. I'm hoping that this will be an effective way to tell the story. I will write some "breather" chapters though. I don't want the whole story to be one big event after the next.

Quick note, I will be accepting OC's for future contests and the Ever Grande Conference. If you have an OC, feel free to send me a DM, but please don't just send me your OC. I have details/questions that I want to send you first. Best!


	10. Bibimpap

Chapter 10 - Bibimpap

* * *

"Sugoi," Yurie said quietly as she looked out onto the ocean. Torchic sat near the railing next to her. The two gazed out at the vast open space in awe. "Isn't it beautiful, Torchic?" The Pokémon nodded.

Logan yawned as he walked up to the main deck. "Good morning," he said quietly.

"Ohayou," she replied. "Have you traveled on the ocean a lot?"

Logan nodded. "A lot of my traveling in the Alola Region was going from one island to the next. It was usually by boat. I've had my fair share of ocean travel."

"I'm jealous of you," Yurie said.

"Why? You have a chance now to go and do whatever you want, Yurie. Now is your time to travel."

Yurie looked down at Torchic. "Let's travel everywhere together, Torchic!"

The group arrived at Dewford Port around noon. Poochyena and Torchic rolled around in the sand on the beach, and Yurie immediately started looking for the Pokémon Center.

"As fun as camping is, I desperately need a shower and a soft bed to sleep on," she said.

"And it couldn't hurt to eat some hot food," Logan remarked.

"You two handle your business here. I'll be around for awhile. If I have to leave before either one of you, I'll try to make arrangements with one of my friends to get you to Slateport. But like I said, I should be here for a few days," the captain told them. "Enjoy Dewford while you can!"

"So, Yurie, what kind of food do they have in Dewford?"

* * *

"This is called Bibimbap," Yurie explained while handing over a bowl of mixed rice to Logan. "It's actually a dish that was imported to Hoenn awhile ago. You see, Dewford is actually pretty far away from the mainland, so a lot of the food culture was influenced by foreign lands."

"Bibimbap?"

"Bibimpap!"

"That sounds incredibly made up," Logan remarked while he took a bite. "But it's delicious!"

"I'm glad that you enjoy it! It's my first time trying it," Yurie said. "So, what are the plans while we're here? Gonna go take on the gym immediately?"

Logan shook his head. "I want to train for a little bit. There's also a cave nearby called Granite Cave. I know that caves sound scary, but I think it'd be fun to go and see what kind of Pokémon they have."

"Let's go! I'm sure there are a bunch of cute Pokémon to make friends with," Yurie said excitedly.

Logan smiled. Only two weeks traveling and he could already see that Yurie had changed so much. "You should probably call your mom first. Tell her about everything that's happened."

"I'll call my mom if you call your aunt!"

"Oh. Wow. I don't want to do that."

"Call your aunt, Logan!"

* * *

The two made their phone calls to their family members, updating them on where they were.

"Dewford Town?" Juniper asked. "Have you had Bibimpap?"

"Yes."

"It's delicious! So, now that you're taking on the gym challenge again, are you wanting some of your old Pokémon back? They spend all day running around and battling with one another. It's all friendly of course, but I imagine they'd love some real action," she said.

Logan took a look at his Emboar. "Buddy, I'd love to bring you onto this team, but if you could all hold it down for me over there. I want to do my best with this new team. I think I owe it to them to raise and train them."

Emboar gave Logan a thumbs up. "Emboar!"

"Thanks, buddy! But trust me, we'll see each other soon," Logan replied with a smile. "I'm gonna go now. I'll talk to you later."

"It was good talking to you! Bye bye!"

With that, the two hung up. Logan took in a deep breath.

"Why don't you want to meet your old Pokémon?" Yurie asked. "It seems like it'd make the gym battle challenge a lot easier."

"I love my Pokémon. They're all my best friends," Logan said. "It's complicated, but I feel like I failed them. If I can become stronger, then I will feel worthy of being their trainer."

"I bet they still think you're worthy. Emboar looked like he still respected you," Yurie noted.

"It's not just that," Logan said. He gripped the straps on his backpack tightly. "I have a lot of memories with those Pokémon. Not just the Pokémon, but the person that I traveled with previously. When I see Emboar, I remember a lot of the good times that I had on my travels with not only my Pokémon, but that person too."

"Who is it?"

"Can we not talk about it right now?" Logan said. He smiled. "I'm wanting to get to the cave. I've been excited to see it."

"Okay. Let's go," Yurie said. She watched as Logan walked towards the Pokémon Center doors.

* * *

Granite Cave was almost pitch black. Logan came prepared though. He handed Yurie a flashlight, and even Poochyena received a small one to hold in his mouth. Yurie scanned the various Pokémon that she saw with her Pokédex.

"There are a lot of Zubat," she remarked. "They're kind of cute."

Logan laughed. "You really think so? Most people don't like them."

"Well, those people are wrong."

They continued, and eventually, they came across a familiar face.

"Look at all of those Nosepass!" Logan said. They were all still and pointed north. "They look like statues."

"Nosepass sounds like a difficult Pokémon to raise. Roxanne was the right kind of trainer for one," Yurie said.

Eventually, the duo came across a part of the cave that had lights set up. Workers in hard hats were walking around with tools and digging throughout the tunnel. They watched the workers, but continued on their path. They passed where the workers were and came across a giant room with lights, but it was quiet. A man sat in the middle, looking at stones.

"Is that-" Yurie wondered while trying to get a closer look. "Steven?"

The man turned and smiled at Yurie. "Oh, Yurie! It's nice to see you again!"

"How do you know this guy?" Logan asked.

"This is Steven! He's the son of the president of the Devon Corporation! I mentioned that he had a really strong Pokémon!" Yurie explained.

"Oh! I see."

Steven stood up and walked to them. "So, you must be Logan? I heard that you were the one who battled on behalf of my colleague. Thank you for your help."

"Just did what I thought was right."

"I also heard that you're a strong trainer."

"How would you know that?" Logan asked.

Steven smiled. "I'm in the kind of business where I should know those kind of things." He laughed. "So, what are you doing here today? Come to look at the fine rocks of Granite Cave?"

"Logan wanted to come here before his gym battle!"

"I've read that this is a sightseeing area, so I was interested."

"I see! Well, I'm here to study stones, as usual. I also find it rather relaxing here, but I'm just about finished." He lifted his bag onto his shoulder, but then paused and reached into it. "This may seem like a weird question to ask out of the blue, but are you by chance the trainer who is helping Professor Birch with his research?"

Logan was taken aback. "Oh. Yeah. He mentioned Mega Evolution, or something. I'm supposed to help him figure it out."

"Well, one thing that I started studying on my free time is something that we're calling Mega Stones. They are probably linked to Mega Evolution in some kind of way. Did you receive any Pokémon from the Professor?"

"Mudkip," Logan answered.

"In that case, I'd like you to have this." He pulled out a blue and orange stone from his bag. "This is Swampertite. If and when you're Mudkip evolves into Swampert, you will be able to use this stone to make it go to the next level during battle. At least, that's the idea."

Logan held the stone in his hand. The light reflected off of the blue, making it shine. "Thank you. I'll take really good care of it."

"You best! Make sure that you try to get a good look at all of the Pokémon that you can while you're here. There are some strong ones, so if you feel like adding anything to your team here is the place."

"Thanks for the advice!" Yurie said.

"And thank you for the stone," Logan added.

"I'll be off then," Steven said. And with that, he left the two alone.

"That was really nice of him!"

"Yurie, do you know who that was?" Logan asked. He was trembling.

"Steven Stone! Are you okay?"

"I mean, do you know how important he is?"

"He's the son of the president of the Devon Corporation, so I'd guess he's important. Why?"

"It's not that he's the son of the Devon Corporation, Yurie. Steven Stone was the Champion of the Hoenn League. He's one of my idols," Logan explained.

"He was what?" Yurie asked in disbelief.

Logan held up his new Swampertite. "When I was studying to become a trainer, I watched tape of the Pokémon Champions from around the world, and Steven was always my favorite. I didn't want to look like a fanboy, but I was shaking that entire interaction. But I have this now, which is 10 times better than an autograph!"

"I could never imagine you fanboying over someone," Yurie said with a laugh. "What do you say we finish our small tour of Granite Cave?"

"I'm so pumped up now! I feel like I'm working for Steven too! If I had my OG team, I would have challenged him right there!"

"Okay, calm down."

* * *

The two continued their way through Granite Cave, reaching more tunnels that were dark.

"I'm getting worn out," Yurie said. "Can we take a break?" She sat down.

"We can start heading back anytime that you want to," Logan replied. "I didn't realize it was going to be this dark."

Suddenly, the small rock that Yurie had taken a seat on started moving. Yurie screamed and then jumped up. She looked down and noticed that it was a Pokémon.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to use you as a chair!"

"It's dark so it makes sense," Logan added. "What is it?"

"Aron, the Iron Armor Pokémon. This Pokémon has a body of steel. To make its body, Aron feeds on iron ore that it digs from mountains. Occasionally, it causes major trouble by eating bridges and rails. With one all-out charge, this Pokémon can demolish even a heavy dump truck. The destroyed dump truck then becomes a handy meal for the Pokémon," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"It's so cute! But this one looks a little bit dirty," Yurie noted. She wiped the dirt off of the Aron's head. "Are you okay, buddy?"

The Aron groaned and tried to turn away, but it winced loudly.

"I think it's hurt," Logan noted. He bent down and put his hand on the Pokémon, feeling its scratches on its body. "I think it may have recently been in a battle."

Poochyena licked Aron. He slightly nudged the Steel-type with his nose.

"A-Aron," the Pokémon softly cried.

"We should get it to a Pokémon Center!" Yurie said. She grabbed Aron and tried to lift it, but she immediately fell to the ground. "It's so heavy!"

"You have Poké Balls. Let's catch it and then get to the Pokémon Center as fast as we can," Logan said.

Yurie nodded. In the darkness, she randomly pulled her Luxury Ball from her bag and lightly tapped Aron with it. The Pokémon was absorbed and without a struggle, the Poké Ball let out its signature ding. "Got it."

"Let's go!"

The two ran quickly to the Pokémon Center and handed Aron over to Nurse Joy. She took the Pokémon to the back, and the trainers waited in the lobby.

"We're lucky that you found him when you did," Nurse Joy said. She came to the lobby wearing a surgical mask. "He's in real bad condition."

"What do you think happened?" Yurie asked.

"This looks like it was the result of Aron losing a battle. It is Aron mating season, so it could have lost a battle of love. It's damaged physically pretty bad, but it also looks very withdrawn and sullen," Nurse Joy said. "Heartbroken."

"Poor guy," Yurie said.

"And not just that, but if you found him alone like that, there is a chance that he was kicked out of his group. Or he chose to leave."

Logan turned to Poochyena. "Poochyena was also kicked out of his group."

"It's just the nature of wild Pokémon," Nurse Joy said. "I'll keep you updated." She went to the back.

"This happened to Poochyena?" Yurie asked. She bent down and pet the Dark-type.

"It happens all the time," Logan replied. "Like Joy said, it's just the nature of wild Pokémon. I think people forget that Pokémon have lives outside of being with trainers. There's a whole side of Pokémon that we rarely see."

"It's kind of scary."

The two sat around for a little while longer. Once Nurse Joy let them know that Aron was in stable condition, the two made their way to the Pokémon's room. Yurie sat by Aron's bed side. She ran her hand of the Pokémon's rough body, feeling the shredded steel.

"In time, when Aron begins to level up, the steel will become smooth again," Nurse Joy said. "That is assuming that Aron continues battling. It probably won't be able to go back to its group."

Aron held its head down in shame.

"He's heartbroken," Yurie said.

"You can stay here with him if you want to," Nurse Joy said. "But try not to keep him up. He'll need his rest." Yurie nodded, and Nurse Joy left the room.

"So, technically, that Aron is yours," Logan said. "He may not be able to go back to his old group, but with you, he has a chance at a new family."

"But maybe he won't want to go with me."

"That's true, but give him a few days of rest here, and then let him make his own decision. I'm gonna go train a little bit in the courtyard. I have to prepare for my battle, but maybe you should stay here and talk with Aron for awhile." With that, Logan left.

Yurie pet Aron's head. "How are you feeling?" Aron looked up at her. "You know, I've been rejected pretty hard too. Maybe not as bad as this, but I understand what you're feeling." Aron blinked. "I had a crush on this boy who went to the same school as me. He was so cute, and the other students looked up to him. When I did tell him how I felt, he told me that he had feelings for someone else. He left two years ago for his journey, and I haven't talked to him since. But, I think I've moved on. And you will too! I promise!" Aron smiled slightly, but then put his head back down.

* * *

Back in the courtyard, Logan prepared to train with his Pokémon. The courtyard was different from a lot of the other ones that Logan had gone too. The main area was filled with sand, stones, and shells from the beach, and in the middle was a small pool for Pokémon to relax in. Surrounding the courtyard were rows of palm trees, which shaded roughly half of the space given.

"Alright, team. I'm not sure what we're gonna be up against tomorrow at this gym, but I'd like for us to prepare our best," Logan told his three Pokémon. Mudkip listened attentively, but Vigoroth sat around and looked bored. She started to twitch her nose, and then stood up and walked towards the Pokémon Center door.

"Vigoroth," Logan said. The Pokémon turned. "I'll make you dinner after we've finished a bit of training." Vigoroth sighed and then returned to the group. "So, I think for tomorrow's battle, I'd like to battle with Vigoroth first. I want to get a feel for how we'll gel as a team." Vigoroth flexed. "Today's training is going to be intense. Mudkip and Poochyena, I want you to team up and take on me and Vigoroth. You'll be moving independently without my directions, but I know that you'll do good together. Vigoroth, please listen to me, and we'll see what magic we can make." The Pokémon all shouted out happily, and Poochyena and Mudkip moved to the other side of the courtyard.

"Okay, everyone. Let's begin!" Logan said. With that, Poochyena and Mudkip started to run towards Vigoroth.

"We'll start with Fury Swipes!"

Vigoroth lunged forward and began to swipe her claws at the two Pokémon. She connected with Mudkip, but Poochyena shifted his body and smashed his tail into Vigoroth's side. The Normal-type rolled over, but quickly stood up.

"Let's try Slash now! Target Poochyena!"

Vigoroth nodded. She darted forward, her claw glowing. She slashed at Poochyena, making the Pokémon fly back. Mudkip suddenly appeared behind Vigoroth and used his Water Gun attack. Vigoroth turned around and glared.

"Slash!"

Vigoroth didn't listen and instead started flailing its claws around. Mudkip jumped back to avoid the attack. Poochyena tackled into Vigoroth's back and the Normal-typed flopped forward. She stood back up, fuming. She began to swipe her claws furiously while screaming.

"Vigoroth! Try to calm down! We can still do this!" Logan yelled. Vigoroth turned to Logan. She started to bound forwards, and prepared to attack her trainer. Logan calmly lifted the Luxury Ball and returned Vigoroth inside of it.

"Mudkip?" the Pokémon wondered.

"It looks like we have some work to do," Logan noted. "But I said that I'll be teaming with her tomorrow, so that's what I'm gonna do. I'll just have to work with what I can. Hopefully the Luxury Ball can calm her a bit. Let's make dinner!"

* * *

Yurie fell asleep with her head down next to Aron's. She drooled onto Aron's pillow, so the Steel-type shifted a little bit. He stood up and looked at Yurie. He laid his head back down near Yurie's but away from the drool. Logan entered the room, holding onto some leftover lunch. He noticed the two sleeping and put their food down on a small desk nearby. He grabbed a blanket and put it over Yurie, and then he moved Aron's blanket onto his small body.

"Get some sleep, guys," he whispered. He walked to the door and turned off the light. "It looks like you're finally starting to understand how Pokémon feel."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Wanted to focus more on giving Logan and Yurie a bit more "backstory" in this one. Even if it's small, I think it's important to give them a bit. I'm also gonna work on giving more description to the settings that they're in. My writing is usually script writing and is very dialogue and character driven, so I don't spend a lot of time actually describing the setting. The stories that I work on that I'd like to eventually publish are the same way.

Next chapter is going to be a gym battle, so get ready for that.

I just broke my finger, but I'm gonna try to keep writing. Already have around 25 chapters finished, so it shouldn't affect anything immediately.


	11. Bulgogi

Chapter 11 - Bulgogi

* * *

The group woke up early in the morning. Yurie made sure that Aron was well fed, and the group was quickly out the door. As soon as the gym opened its doors, they had arrived. Unlike Rustboro's Gym, which was designed to look appear as a government building on the outside, Dewford's Gym was built to fit the aesthetic of the town. It had large boulders in the front, and palm trees circled the outside. Logan and Yurie entered, and they were immediately met by a boy only a couple years younger than them. He was wearing swimming trunks and no shirt.

"Hey! Are you here to challenge Touki?" he asked.

Logan grinned. "If that's the gym leader, then absolutely!"

"Follow me!" the boy said. He ran to another door and opened it. The group walked into what was the gym's stadium. A teenager with a surfboard stood in the middle, talking to a group of kids.

"Touki!" the boy yelled. The teenager turned around and looked at Logan and Yurie.

"Challengers, I'm guessing?" he asked.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. I'm Logan Stephenson from the Unova Region, and I'd like to challenge you for your gym badge!"

"Why so formal all of the sudden?" Yurie asked.

"I have no clue, but I suddenly got nervous," Logan replied.

Touki handed over the surfboard to a couple of the children. "Sounds good to me! How does a two on two battle sound?"

"That works for me!"

"Your friend can sit in the stands if she wants to," Touki said.

Logan released Mudkip from his Poké Ball. "Okay, Mudkip. I'm taking a guess since everyone is wearing swimming trunks and that the gym leader has a surfboard that this is a Water-type gym. I'd like for you to join Yurie, and watch closely," he explained. Yurie and Mudkip nodded. He climbed onto her shoulder and then she ran to a seat.

"You ready?" Touki asked.

"Let's do this!"

The boy from before stood in the referee box. He held up two flags. "This battle between challenger Logan Stephenson from the Unova Region and Gym Leader Touki will now commence. It will be a two on two Pokémon battle with no time limit. Only the challenger can make substitutions. Begin!"

"You did great!" Touki said to the kid.

"I wrote it on my hand!" he replied.

"I'll start things off with Machop!" Touki said while tossing his Poké Ball into the air. Machop appeared and flexed his muscles.

"Huh? Maybe he comes from a sailing background. They usually use Fighting and Water-types, so that'd make sense," Logan wondered out loud.

"Machop, the Superpower Pokémon. Machop's muscles are special - they never get sore no matter how much they are used in exercise. This Pokémon has sufficient power to hurl a hundred adult humans. Machop exercises by hefting around a Graveler as if it were a barbell. There are some Machop that travel the world in a quest to master all kinds of martial arts," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"A Muscle-type," Yurie said. "But Logan has Vigoroth, so he has the type advantage!" Mudkip tilted his head.

"Vigoroth, let's do this!" Logan yelled while Vigoroth burst from her Poké Ball. Vigoroth screeched at Machop.

"You can choose your attack first," Touki said.

"Sounds good! Vigoroth, let's get in close with Slash!"

Vigoroth ran forward and her claw started to glow.

"Karate Chop!"

Machop swung his hand, and the two Pokémon's attacks collided. Vigoroth withdrew her hand and winced.

"Fury Swipes!" Logan directed.

Vigoroth started to swing her claws, swiping at Machop. She got in multiple hits, and the Fighting-type took a few steps back.

"Catch its hands and use Seismic Toss!" Touki ordered.

Machop fought through the pain and grabbed Vigoroth's arms. He crossed the arms and then jumped into the air. Machop did a flip and tossed Vigoroth directly into the ground. Vigoroth got back up slowly and glared at Machop.

"Stay calm, Vigoroth," Logan said quietly. "We can get through this."

Vigoroth took a deep breath and then nodded.

"Okay, Vigoroth, use Fury Swipes again! Don't get caught!"

Vigoroth started her attack, this time moving much faster. Machop took multiple hits and started to retreat backwards.

"Low Kick!" Touki commanded.

Machop used its downward motion and kicked at Vigoroth's legs. Vigoroth fell forward and landed on her face.

"Karate Chop!"

Machop lifted his arm and slammed it on Vigoroth's back. He then jumped back and prepared to attack again. Vigoroth stood up once more, this time shaking with anger. Before Logan could make his command, Vigoroth lunged forward and slashed at Machop.

"Dodge!" Touki ordered. Machop ducked and then jumped back a few feet.

"Vigoroth, return!" Logan said while lifting his Luxury Ball. Vigoroth was absorbed by the red light. "Take a short break, Vigoroth."

"Your Vigoroth is a bit untrained, don't you think?" Touki said with a smile on his face.

"We're working on it," Logan responded. He looked down at Poochyena. "Let's do this, buddy!"

Poochyena ran forward and barked at Machop.

"This is a Fighting-type gym, and you're using Normal and Dark-types?" Touki wondered. "Are you new to Pokémon training?"

Logan gritted his teeth. "I wrongly assumed that this was a Water-type gym."

"Well, that's gonna cost you," Touki responded with a laugh.

"Use Tackle!"

Poochyena darted across the gym floor. He slammed his body into Machop, but Machop grabbed ahold of Poochyena once the pain subsided.

"Seismic Toss!" Brawly ordered.

"Use Bite!" Logan said quickly.

Before Machop could start its attack, Poochyena shifted his body and bit onto Machop's arm. Machop howled in pain, and Poochyena refused to let go.

"Karate Chop!"

Machop swung his other arm, smashing it again Poochyena. Poochyena finally released his grip and backed up a few feet.

"Low Kick!" Touki commanded.

"Jump!"

Poochyena leapt into the air, easily avoiding the attack.

"Iron Tail!"

The Dark-type spun around and smashed his tail into Machop's face. The Fighting-type flew back and fell to the ground in a heap.

The boy paused for a moment while looking over Machop. Touki nodded at him. "Machop is no longer able to battle! Poochyena is the winner!" he declared while Touki returned Machop to its ball.

"This next Pokémon is no joke, kid," he said while tossing his Poké Ball into the air. His Pokémon appeared before him and smiled at Poochyena.

"Makuhita, the Guts Pokémon. Makuhita is tenacious - it will keep getting up and attacking its foe however many times it is knocked down. Every time it gets back up, this Pokémon stores more energy in its body for evolving. It eats a lot of food, gets plenty of sleep, and it trains very rigorously. By living that way, this Pokémon packs its body with energy," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"So, I was wrong about the type advantage," Yurie said. She looked at Mudkip. "Maybe Logan should have gone with you after-all." Mudkip nodded.

_Poochyena is gonna be in trouble against any of Makuhita's attacks. And unfortunately, I'm limited to what I can do. Even Iron Tail won't be very effective. And if Poochyena loses, I have to use Vigoroth. I've really put myself into a corner._ Logan thought.

"You gonna start?" Touki asked. "I don't want to sound rude. There's just some good waves today, so I'd like to hit those while I can."

"Poochyena, use Growl!" Logan ordered.

Poochyena bared his teeth and started to growl at Makuhita. The Fighting-type laughed.

"Bulk Up," Touki said calmly.

A red energy surrounded Makuhita, and he started to flex his muscles.

"Now, use Arm Thrust!"

Makuhita lunged forward. He swung one his arms at Poochyena.

"Dodge!"

Poochyena jumped, but the Makuhita immediately responded by swinging his other arm. The attack collided, sending Poochyena back to the ground.

"Focus Energy!"

The red energy from before turned blue, and Makuhita looked intensely at Poochyena.

"Vital Throw!" Touki ordered.

Makuhita jumped forward and slammed his body into Poochyena's body. Before Poochyena could fall to the ground though, Makuhita grabbed him and then tossed the Dark-type to the ground. Poochyena didn't stand back up.

"Poochyena is unable to battle! Makuhita is the winner!" the boy said while raising a flag.

Logan ran onto the field and picked up Poochyena. "You did great, buddy! You should rest for a bit." He picked up Poochyena's Poké Ball and returned him to it.

"You can always forfeit. You don't have proper control over your Vigoroth, and you're also at a type disadvantage, so I don't see much of a point in continuing," Touki said.

Logan pulled out the Luxury Ball. "If I gave up every time the odds were against me, I would have never gotten anywhere as a trainer."

Touki smiled. "I like your guts, kid!"

"Vigoroth, let's go!" Vigoroth appeared from the Poké Ball. She appeared slightly worn out from the last battle, but the Luxury Ball's effects had taken place, and she was calmed down. "Vigoroth, start with Fury Swipes!"

"Arm Thrust!"

The Pokémon met in the middle of the battlefield and began to use their attacks on each other, their hands connecting with every motion. Neither of them let up, and with time, both of them started to quicken the pace.

"Your Vigoroth won't give up. I like it!"

"And your Makuhita is pretty strong too! I guess that's just their nature!"

"Use Fake Out!"

Makuhita stopped his attack, and he jumped back. He suddenly lunged forward, but stopped right before he could hit Vigoroth. He then lifted his arm and smacked Vigoroth to the ground.

"Come from below with a Slash!" Logan ordered.

Vigoroth shot up, slashing upwards at Makuhita. Makuhita stumbled back a few feet, grabbing at his face.

"Use Slash one more time!"

Vigoroth ran forward, her claw glowing a bright white.

"Vital Throw!"

Makuhita ducked Vigoroth's attack. He then lunged his body into Vigoroth and then grabbed her arm.

"Endure!" Logan said quickly.

Vigoroth started to glow red, and Makuhita tossed her to the ground. She landed in a heap.

The boy took a close look at Vigoroth, and as he started to raise his flag, Vigoroth started to stir. Vigoroth stood back up and started to scream.

"Okay! We have one more attack, Vigoroth! Let's make it count! Use Fury Swipes, and keep moving! Don't get caught!" Logan said.

Vigoroth dashed forward, but instead of doing Fury Swipes, she attempted a Slash attack. Makuhita caught her arm and then grinned.

"Arm Thrust," Touki said.

Using his other hand, Makuhita struck Vigoroth in the face. Vigoroth flew back and landed hard on the ground. The battle was over.

"Vigoroth is unable to battle! Makuhita is the winner! And the battle goes to Gym Leader Touki!"

Logan returned Vigoroth, and he sighed.

"You did good for someone who was fighting at a disadvantage," Touki said. "I'm sorry for all of that trash talk. It's just part of the business." He laughed. "Come back anytime, and let's do this again!"

Logan and Yurie returned to the Pokémon Center, and Logan gave his Pokémon off to Nurse Joy. While she was checking on them, Yurie and Logan went to Aron's bedside.

"How are you doing?" Yurie asked the Steel-type. It stood up and yawned. "You're moving a lot more, so that's good!" She pet the Pokémon's head, and it began to purr softly.

"I'm glad to see that you're doing better, Aron," Logan said.

Yurie nodded. "So, what are you gonna do next?"

"I made a mistake, and I failed my Pokémon again," Logan responded.

"You're not quitting, are you?" Yurie asked.

Logan shook his head. "We get knocked down. But it's not losing that makes us weak; it's when we don't get back up. It may take us sometime to get back up, but we will eventually," he said while looking at Aron. "So, I'm gonna get back up, and I'm going to beat Touki. I have a few ideas."

"You hear that, Aron! Logan isn't giving up!" Yurie said happily. Aron smiled and then laid back down.

* * *

"Okay, so yesterday, I made the mistake of having you battle each other. I think that may have been the wrong decision. Today, I want you to train together," Logan said to his three Pokémon. Mudkip and Poochyena stood a couple feet away from Vigoroth. "You three are a team, so we should learn how to improve each other's strengths together."

Vigoroth huffed and looked away.

"If you cooperate, I'll make special food for you, Vigoroth," Logan said. Vigoroth's ears perked up. "Also, I have a lot of TM's from my journey, and I think I know what move we should teach you. I also think that I need to teach something to Poochyena, because today, all of your attacks couldn't do much."

Poochyena looked worried.

"But that's not your fault, buddy! I should have done better as your trainer!"

Poochyena smiled.

"Now, let's get to it!"

The three Pokémon and their trainer trained together for a few hours. Vigoroth practiced her knew attack while Mudkip and Poochyena cheered her on. When it was Poochyena's turn, Vigoroth offered to be a moving target. Mudkip used its Water Gun while the other two dodged to improve their speed. The three worked together to improve their new attacks and strategies.

"Everyone is training so hard!" Yurie noted while she walked outside. She was holding a large pot with steam coming from it. "So, I made you all food!"

"We've been training so hard; I forgot to make food for them," Logan said while looking at Vigoroth. "I hope she likes this."

The trainers and their Pokémon all circled around while Yurie gave them bowls filled with barbequed beef and vegetables.

"This is called bulgogi! It's another one of Dewford's specialty dishes! Be careful, it's a little bit spicy!"

"It looks delicious!" Logan said. "Itadakimasu!"

Yurie smiled. _He finally said it right._

The group started eating, and Aron slowly made his way outside. He sniffed at the Pokémon anxiously. Torchic offered his bowl over to the nervous Pokémon. Aron slowly nibbled on some beef. He then smiled wide and ate a little bit more.

"Welcome to the family," Yurie said quietly. She made another bowl of bulgogi and put it down for the Pokémon.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

There it be. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I tried to add a bit more detail in some areas, but I'm still not great at describing how places look. If you have any suggestions for describing places like a gym or Pokémon Center, let me know.

The next chapter will be a rematch between Logan and Touki (which is Brawly's Japanese name). Any predictions as to the new moves that Vigoroth and Poochyena learned? I'm also planning on doing something a bit different this next time around.

Recently just got really sick, so I'm exhausted. I tried to read through this chapter to double check it, but if there are a lot of mistakes, I'm sorry.


	12. Choco Banana

Chapter 12 - Choco Banana

* * *

The group all woke up early once again, and they were off to the gym. This time, Yurie brought Aron along. He was healthy enough to not need to be under intense watch at the Pokémon Center anymore, and Yurie thought it'd be a good idea for him to watch a battle.

"Closed?" Logan yelled while he read the sign on the gym door. "I guess there's a festival today on the beach."

"Would it be appropriate to challenge Touki there?" Yurie asked. "Seems like maybe today is not the day."

"I want my gym badge. It's so hot here too, so I'd like to leave as soon as we can," Logan responded.

"And hey! We can eat some good festival food! They have almost everything that you can think of, but on little sticks!"

* * *

"Choco Banana?" Logan wondered out loud while Yurie handed him the snack. "Is it banana-shaped chocolate or what?"

"Just try it!" Yurie said. She pulled off a few pieces and fed them to Poochyena, Torchic, and Aron.

Logan took a bite and groaned. "Banana covered in chocolate." He hated bananas.

"You don't like it?" Yurie asked.

Logan looked at her face and quickly faked a smile. "It's delicious! I was just surprised!"

"I'm glad!" Yurie said. "Now, let's go find Touki!"

They walked through the festival, and Yurie bought a few souvenirs when she saw something that she liked.

"Mom is gonna love this!" she said while she bought a purple scarf.

"You sure she's gonna appreciate you spending your money like this?" Logan asked.

"If she didn't want me to go on an adventure and spend money, then she shouldn't have forced me out of the house!"

"I guess you got a point," Logan said. He turned away and looked out to the ocean. There were surfers riding a relatively large wave. A lot of them fell off their boards, but there was one who rode it to the end. On the end of his board was a Makuhita. The surfer made it back to shore, and he was greeted by a crowd of fans.

"Thank you! Thank you, but I couldn't have done it without Makuhita!" Touki said while he high-fived some of the children that were at the gym the day previous.

"Touki," Logan said. The crowd quieted down, and everyone looked at Logan.

"Oh, hey, Logan! You enjoying the festival?" Touki asked.

"I ate a chocolate banana," Logan responded. "I'm here for my rematch."

Touki smiled. "Normally I wouldn't do a battle outside of the gym, but seeing as how we have a crowd today and it's a festival, I say let's do it!"

"That's a relief!" Yurie said.

"What do you say to a three on three battle this time around?" Touki asked. "I have another Pokémon that I think would like to battle you."

"One on one, two on two, or three on three. No matter the stipulation, I'm not leaving today without your gym badge!" Logan said.

"I like your determination. Let's do this."

The two stepped a fair distance between each other, and the boy from yesterday stood on a rock on the beach. "This battle between challenger Logan Stephenson and Gym Leader Touki will now commence! It will be a three on three Pokémon battle with no time limit. Only the challenger can make substitutions. Begin!" The crowd started to cheer.

"Machop, let's get 'em!"

"You're up first, Poochyena!"

The two Pokémon entered the battlefield, and they glared at each other.

"Poochyena, use Tackle!"

Poochyena began to run, kicking up water from the ocean with every bound.

"Catch him!" Touki ordered.

"Stop your attack!" Logan instructed right before Poochyena could reach Machop. This kicked sand up into the air, blinding the Machop. "Now, use Iron Tail!"

Poochyena jumped and then twisted his body. He slammed his tail against Machop, sending the Pokémon back a few feet. Machop shook it off and glared.

"Karate Chop!"

Machop swung his arm, connecting directly with Poochyena. The Dark-type flew backwards into the water.

"Keep the pressure on! Let's use Seismic Toss!"

Machop ran forward and grabbed ahold of Poochyena. He began to spin.

"Bite!"

A repeat from the battle from before, Poochyena bit down onto one of Machop's arms. Machop yelped.

"Karate Chop!"

Machop prepared to do the same he did yesterday and lifted his arm into the air.

"Thunder Fang!" Logan ordered.

Poochyena released electric sparks from his mouth, shocking Machop, and making him stop his attack. Poochyena let go while Machop tried to shake off the electricity.

"Tackle!" Logan directed.

Poochyena lunged his body into Machop, knocking the Fighting-type into the water. Machop slowly stood back up and started to breathe heavily.

"Don't give up! Use Low Kick!" Touki commanded.

Machop started to run forward slowly. He moved his body and kicked his foot out low.

"Thunder Fang once more!"

Poochyena avoided the attack. He latched onto Machop once more, sending an even stronger surge of electricity through the Fighting-type's body. Machop fell to the ground and did not move a muscle.

"Machop is unable to battle! The winner is Poochyena!" the boy from before said.

"We did it!" Logan cheered. Poochyena ran back to him and smiled. "You did great, Poochyena!"

Touki returned Machop. "I was wrong about you, Logan. You truly are talented. And it looks like being near the ocean bit me in the butt this time." He tossed another Poké Ball into the air, and a new Pokémon appeared. It floated slightly above the ground.

"Meditite, the Meditate Pokémon. Meditite undertakes rigorous mental training deep in the mountains. However, whenever it meditates, this Pokémon always loses its concentration and focus. As a result, its training never ends. It survives on just one berry a day. Minimal eating is another aspect of this Pokémon's training," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"You can do this Logan!" Yurie yelled.

"Poochyena, take a small break," Logan said. Poochyena nodded and sat behind Logan. Logan tossed his Poké Ball into the air, and Mudkip emerged.

"I was worried that you were gonna choose a Rock-type," Touki joked.

"You're funny. Mudkip, start with Water Gun!"

Mudkip shot water from his mouth.

"Confusion!" Touki ordered.

Meditite began to move her hands, and before the Water Gun could connect, Meditite took control of it. She shot back the water, connecting directly with Mudkip, but the Water-type was barely damaged.

"Gonna have to try something different," Logan muttered. "Get in close with Tackle!"

Mudkip started to run. He jumped to try to crash into Meditite.

"Detect," Touki ordered.

Meditite closed her eyes and then shifted to the side, easily avoiding the attack.

"Follow up with Force Palm!"

Meditite charged energy into her hand. She released the energy, sending Mudkip flying into the ocean. Mudkip quickly swam back. He looked agitated.

"Meditite has got our number," Logan noted. "Try Tackle once more!"

Mudkip darted forward once more.

"Detect!"

Once again, Meditite easily avoided Mudkip's attack, but this time, Logan was ready.

"Now use Mud-Slap!"

Mudkip landed and began to kick up mud from the beach with his hind legs. The mud collided with Meditite. She stopped floating and tried to wipe the mud out of her eyes.

"Water Gun!"

Mudkip shot water from his mouth, connecting with Meditite at close-range. The Fighting-type fell back into the water. She quickly washed the mud out of her eyes and then glared at Mudkip.

"Use Force Palm!"

"Bide!"

Meditite shot her attack from her hand. The energy collided with Mudkip, who started to glow a faint white.

"Keep doing Force Palm! We have to make him faint before it's too late!" Touki ordered.

Meditite began to repeatedly shoot energy from her palms. The energy continuously connected with Mudkip, but the Water-type fought through the pain. Meditite stopped, and started to breath heavily.

"Release!" Logan instructed.

Mudkip did as told, and a white energy burst from his body. The energy collided with Meditite, knocking her to the ground. She didn't try to get back up.

The boy held up his hand. "Meditite is unable to battle. Mudkip is the winner!"

Touki recalled Meditite. "You really are good. I'm a little taken aback."

"Battle isn't over yet," Logan said. He looked over at Mudkip, who was exhausted. Poochyena was also worn out from his battle before.

"You're right! Let's do this, Makuhita!" Makuhita walked from behind Touki and posed. The crowd cheered.

"We gotta keep a distance. Use Water Gun!" Logan ordered.

Mudkip used his attack, shooting a strong stream of water from his mouth.

"Use Arm Thrust!"

Makuhita began to punch the air, and he eventually started to collide with the water. He continued on, knocking the water out of his way until he reached Mudkip.

"Now, Vital Throw!"'

Makuhita lunged his body into Mudkip, and then he caught the Water-type with one arm. He sent Mudkip into the ground. Mudkip did not stand back up.

"Mudkip is unable to battle! Makuhita wins!" the boy declared.

Logan returned his Pokémon. "You did well."

"Yeah!" Touki yelled. Makuhita posed and then he suddenly started to glow white. The crowd awed as Makuhita started to grow and change shape. Within a few moments, a new Pokémon had emerged.

"What kind of move is that?" Yurie wondered.

"It's not a move. It evolved," Logan explained.

"Oh!" Yurie said while pulling out her Pokédex.

"Hariyama, the Arm Thrust Pokémon. Hariyama practices its straight-arm slaps in any number of locations. One hit of this Pokémon's powerful, openhanded, straight-arm punches could snap a telephone pole in two. Hariyama's thick body may appear fat, but it is actually a hunk of solid muscle. If this Pokémon bears down and tightens all its muscles, its body becomes as hard as a rock," the Pokédex chimed.

"That's not good for Logan," Yurie said.

"Poochyena, you're back up," Logan said. His Pokémon nodded and then ran onto the battlefield.

"I'm sorry, Logan. But now that I have Hariyama, you don't stand a chance!" Touki said with a big smile on his face. "Go ahead and make your move!"

"Tackle!"

Poochyena ran forward, preparing to lunge his body into Hariyama.

"Arm Thrust!"

Hariyama quickly moved his open palm towards Poochyena.

"Climb on it and use Iron Tail!"

Poochyena dodged Hariyama's attack, climbed up the Fighting-type's arm, and then swung his body around. He bashed his tail into Hariyama's head, knocking Hariyama dizzy for a second.

"Use Vital Throw!"

Hariyama quickly recovered, and he lunged at Poochyena. He collided with the Dark-type, and then he grabbed onto Poochyena's entire body before attempting to slam him into the ground.

"Thunder Fang!" Logan ordered.

Poochyena turned and clamped his jaw down onto Hariyama. Electricity shot through Hariyama's body, and he groaned from the pain, but he kept his tight grip.

"Use Arm Thrust!"

Hariyama lifted Poochyena into the air with one arm, and with his other arm, he bashed Poochyena, sending the Dark-type flying. Poochyena landed on the ground hard, and he didn't get back up.

"Poochyena is unable to battle! Hariyama is the winner!" the boy declared while the crowd cheered.

Logan picked up Poochyena. He handed him over to Yurie. "We're gonna do this. I promise."

"I hope you're not going with Vigoroth," Touki said.

"I trust that my Vigoroth can get the job done." With that, Logan released Vigoroth from her Luxury Ball. She turned and gave a thumbs up to Logan. "We're cool now."

"Then let's see what you can do," Touki said with a big grin on his face.

"Fury Swipes!"

Vigoroth ran forward and began to slash her claws around viciously.

"Arm Thrust!"

The two Pokémon collided, but unlike yesterday, Vigoroth was knocked back relatively quickly.

"Try Slash!"

Vigoroth jumped into the air and slashed at Hariyama. The attack landed a direct hit, and Hariyama backed up a few feet, holding his face.

"Hariyama, use Vital Throw!" Touki ordered.

Hariyama lunged forward, but Logan was quick.

"Dodge!"

Vigoroth jumped, easily avoiding the attack.

"Now, use Aerial Ace!"

Vigoroth shot downward, a white energy forming at the tip of her claws. She smashed the attack into Hariyama, making the Fighting-type fall to the ground. He stood back up and stomped, seemingly making the entire beach shake.

"So, you taught Vigoroth Aerial Ace? Good move," Touki said. "But it won't be enough! I've been waiting to use this move. Hariyama, use Belly Drum!"

Hariyama charged energy in his palms. He then began to smack his belly repeatedly, and with each smack, more energy built up in his arms.

"That's not good," Logan remarked. "One hit, and we could be done." Vigoroth nodded.

Hariyama stopped smacking his belly. He looked at Vigoroth and grinned.

"Force Palm!" Touki ordered.

Hariyama shot energy from his palm straight towards Vigoroth.

"Dodge!"

Vigoroth jumped to the side, barely avoiding the attack.

"Get in close and use Vital Throw!"

Hariyama charged towards Vigoroth.

"Get down low and use Aerial Ace!"

Vigoroth ducked below Hariyama's attack. She then jolted upwards, uppercutting Hariyama. Hariyama fell back, but slowly stood back up.

"Use Arm Thrust, and don't let up!" Touki commanded.

Hariyama began viciously thrusting his fists forwards, and Vigoroth worked to avoid every single jab. Vigoroth slipped slightly, giving Hariyama an opening. Hariyama struck once, and then went for a second attack.

"Endure!" Logan directed.

Vigoroth began to glow a slight red and she absorbed every attack. Hariyama stopped and took in deep breaths.

"Let's finish this! Use Vital Throw!"

"Put all of your energy into Aerial Ace!"

The two Pokémon charged at each other, and when they collided, sand shot into the air. The crowd stared silently, waiting for a clear answer on who won. The sand fell to the ground, and both Pokémon stood still. Vigoroth hand landed a direct hit on Hariyama's jaw while Hariyama was inches away from Vigoroth's face. Hariyama collapsed and the crowd gasped.

"I-I can't believe it," the boy said.

Touki lowered his head. "Make the call."

"Hariyama is unable to battle. Vigoroth is the winner! And the victory goes to the challenger, Logan Stephenson!" the boy yelled while holding his hands into the air. The crowd started to clap.

Logan ran onto the battlefield and hugged Vigoroth. "We did it!" Poochyena met with them, and Mudkip released himself from his ball. Vigoroth held her thumbs up and the other two cheered.

"You did great, Logan," Touki said while comforting his Hariyama. "I'm genuinely surprised by you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

"I have great Pokémon, so of course I was able to pull through." Logan stood up, and Touki handed over the small box. Logan opened it up to reveal a small brown badge.

"You deserve the Knuckle Badge! Let's have another battle someday in the future!" Touki said.

"I'm looking forward to it!" Logan responded. He held his new gym badge into the air, and his Pokémon cheered.

Logan, Yurie, and their Pokémon stayed behind at the festival for a few more hours. They met with the locals and ate some more food, but when night time came, they walked to the docks.

"Thanks for our battle today. I think I'll try to make it a normal thing that I have a gym battle on the day of our festivals," Touki said.

"It was really fun!" Logan responded.

"Where are you two off to next?"

"I have a contest in Slateport!" Yurie said.

"Yurie is going to be the greatest Coordinator in all of Hoenn," Logan added.

Touki gave her a thumbs up. "I'll keep my eyes on the television! Looking forward to seeing you perform."

"I'll do my best!" Yurie responded. She looked down at Aron. "Are you wanting to join me, Aron? I think you'll be a great partner!"

Aron nodded. "Aron," it responded quietly.

"Then let's go!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Sorry for the later post this time around. It was a day off today from work, so I spent most of my time relaxing. Just kind of forgot to post.


	13. Champon

Chapter 13 - Champon

* * *

The trip to Slateport was overnight. Logan and Yurie both woke up early and made breakfast for themselves and the captain. They sat around and enjoyed the calm waves and the cool air. Mudkip raced with the boat for some exercise while the other Pokémon played around on the deck.

They arrived in Slateport around noon, said goodbye to the captain, and began their search for the Pokémon Center. Slateport City was a quiet place. The air was cooler than Dewford, and the people weren't as busy as the ones in Rustboro. The duo could see many ships by the docks, and there was a steel works nearby. Within an hour, they found the Pokémon Center.

"So, how long do you think we'll be here?" Logan asked. "I want to make sure I can see your contest before I'm off for my next badge!"

Yurie frowned. She looked at her PokéNav. "My contest is tomorrow."

"What kind of food do they have in Slateport?" Logan asked.

With that, Yure's ears perked up.

* * *

"This is called champon!" Yurie said while the two received two giant bowls. Inside the bowls was an assortment of noodles, vegetables, and various seafood delights.

"It kind of looks like they don't know what to put in here, so they chose everything," Logan noted.

"It's delicious! Let's eat!"

"Itadakimasu!"

The two ate quickly. Yurie slurped her noodles, and Logan struggled, but at least tried. When he was finished, he had broth all over his chin. Yurie lifted a napkin and wiped his face clean.

"Thank you," he said.

"You foreigners are all so messy!" she said with a laugh.

The two paid their bills and then started to walk around the town. They found a bridge which when reflected off of the water, it resembled glasses.

"Spectacle Bridge!" Yurie said. "There are supposed to be 20 heart shaped stones here! If you find any of them, then they bring you good luck! Since I have my contest tomorrow, I'd like to find one!"

"You could always try training?" Logan suggested with a smirk. But it was too late, Yurie was already looking for the stones.

"I found one!" she cried out. "Come here!"

Logan went to her, and she handed him a camera.

"Okay, take a picture! I'll send it to my mom!"

Logan lifted up the camera and took a picture with Yurie holding Torchic. She had a giant grin on her face. He showed her the picture.

"This looks great!" she squealed. She looked up Logan. "Do-do you want to take one together?"

"Together?" Logan wondered. "Uh-uh. Yeah. We can do that, I guess."

They stood next to each other, and Yurie held the camera up high. She pressed the button and took a picture of the both of them smiling with the stone in between them.

"Iikanji!" she said while she looked at him. "Okay, so I found one! Let's go train now!"

The two climbed the steps and started to cross the bridge, but they stopped when they saw a familiar face.

"Yuta!" Yurie shouted. "It's good to see you!"

"Yurie?" the boy wondered. "You made it to Slateport City?" He noticed Logan. "Oh, that explains it."

"What are you doing here?" Yurie asked.

"I've already earned three gym badges. I'm on my way to Mauville for my next one, but I figured I'd stop in Slateport for some champon," Yuta explained. "What about you two?"

"I'm here for a contest!" Yurie said. "I'm a Pokémon Coordinator now!"

"How many ribbons have you won?"

"Uh-I mean. I haven't won any yet."

"I figured."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just figured that you haven't won any. Do I need to explain it to you?"

Logan smiled. "You two sound like the best of friends."

"And what about you, Logan? Why are you here?"

"Well, to be honest, I'm taking on the Hoenn League now. Maybe we'll end up battling again."

"That would be fun," Yuta said. "I assume your Poochyena has gotten much stronger."

"I think so!" Logan replied.

"Would you want to test your Pokémon's power right now?" Yuta asked.

Yurie stepped in front of Logan. "I'm sorry, but if anyone is going to be battling you, it's me! You don't get to imply that I'm some weakling and then completely ignore me!"

"Why would I waste my time with you?"

"I know I can beat you! Logan said I have a lot of potential!"

"That's just the nicest way of saying that you suck," Yuta said.

"You afraid to battle me?"

Yuta grinned. He grabbed a Poké Ball. "If you insist."

"Torchic, let's go!" Yurie said. Torchic ran out in front of her.

"Kirlia, go!" A small Pokémon burst from the Poké Ball. It danced around elegantly, but once it caught Torchic's eye, it stopped moving and grinned.

"Kirlia, the Emotion Pokémon. It is said that a Kirlia that is exposed to the positive emotions of its Trainer grows beautiful. This Pokémon controls psychokinetic powers with its highly developed brain. Kirlia uses the horns on its head to amplify its power. When the Pokémon uses its power, the air around it becomes distorted, creating mirages of nonexistent scenery," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"You gonna quit stalling?" Yuta inquired.

"That's it! Torchic, use Ember!"

Torchic jumped forward and released a barrage of fire from his mouth.

"Confusion," Yuta ordered calmly.

Kirlia did a little dance and took control of the fire. She shot them back at Torchic, hitting the Fire-type hard.

"Do Peck!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic quickly stood back up and started to run towards Kirlia.

"Double Team."

Suddenly, Kirlia started to multiply, and she circled around Torchic. The Fire-type looked back at Yurie for instructions.

"I don't know what to do!" Yurie yelled.

"Stay calm," Logan replied. "If you freak out, then your Pokémon will too."

"Okay. Then let's try another Ember!"

Torchic started to spin and shoot fire from his mouth. Most of the clones were destroyed.

"Teleport."

The real Kirlia disappeared into thin air and then reappeared in front of Torchic, surprising the Fire-type Pokémon.

"Confusion."

Kirlia used her energy to lift Torchic in the air. She tossed Torchic to the side, and Torchic landed hard onto the ground. He struggled, but stood back up.

"Kirlia, finish with-" Yuta started.

"Wait, stop the battle!" a voice called. A man in a lab coat came running to the three of him. He was out of breath. "Are you Pokémon trainers?"

"Yes," Yuta responded coldly.

"We need help. There is an emergency at the museum! We're being attacked by some weird group of people calling themselves Team Aqua!"

"Team Aqua?" Logan and Yurie asked in unison. They looked at each other.

"We should go," Logan said. "Yuta, please come with us."

"Uh-alright," he said.

The three trainers and the man in the lab coat ran to the museum. It was small for a museum, and in the front, two members of Team Aqua stood guard.

"Those are two of the bad guys," Logan told Yuta. "Think you can take care of them?"

"Easily," Yuta responded. "Use Confusion, Kirlia."

Kirlia jumped in front of the guards which startled them. She raised her arms and took control of their bodies. They fell to the ground in a slump.

"Good job," Yuta told his Pokémon.

"I don't know how many there are, but there are bound to be more," the scientist said.

"We'll go in first. You stay behind us for now," Logan said. "Yurie, are you comfortable taking on these guys?"

Yurie stood up straight. "Let's kick some butt!"

* * *

The four entered the museum, and the first floor was completely silent. They walked over to the staircase, and they could hear yelling.

"Give us the parts, old man," a voice yelled.

"Or we'll have to force them from your hands," a female voice said.

The three trainers ran up the stairs.

"Stop what you're doing!" Logan yelled. There were three members of Team Aqua standing in a row. One of them was the grunt that they had battled before.

"These are those kids!" he screamed.

"Well, I guess now is the time to redeem yourself," the female said.

The three Team Aqua members pulled out Poké Balls. They tossed them into the air. Two Poochyena and one Zubat appeared.

Logan nodded to his Poochyena, and Yurie's Torchic stepped forward.

"I guess I'll keep mine simple too," Yuta said, releasing a green Pokémon from its Poké Ball.

"Is that your Treecko?" Yurie asked.

"It's a Grovyle now, but yes."

The Grovyle glanced over at Logan's Poochyena and smiled.

The grunt got annoyed. "Use Bite, Poochyena!"

The Poochyena ran forward alongside the two other Pokémon.

"Poochyena, target Zubat, and use Thunder Fang!" Logan ordered.

"Torchic, use Ember!"

"Leaf Blade."

Logan's Poochyena jumped over Grovyle and latched onto Zubat, sending electric sparks through the Flying-type's body. Torchic blasted the grunt's Poochyena with fire, making it roll backwards. Grovyle, faster than the other Poochyena could have guessed, appeared in front of it, and slashed with a green energy. All three of Team Aqua's Pokémon fainted instantly.

"Are you serious?" the female grunt screamed.

"I told you!"

"We're gonna have to ask you to leave," Logan said.

The grunts stepped back a few feet. They all looked at each other, trying to figure out the next step. Suddenly, a muscular man who wore a blue suit came walking up the stairs. The three grunts all kneeled.

"What is taking you all so long?" he asked. He noticed the three trainers and their Pokémon. "Oh, I see. You've seemed to have lost a battle, again."

"I'm sorry, Archie!" the grunt from before yelled. "They're just so strong!"

Archie glared at him. "Or maybe you're just so weak?"

Logan stepped in front of Yurie. "I'll take you on too! If I have to!"

"I'm not going to waste my time with you three. We're leaving," Archie said.

"But, the parts," the female grunt wondered.

"The police are coming this way, and if we don't go now, then we'll be in trouble. We have other ways of getting what we want," he told them. They nodded, stood up, and ran for the stairs. Archie started walking towards the exit.

"What do you want?" Logan asked him.

Archie stopped. "Peace."

With that, he left down the stairs, and disappeared with the others.

"Are you okay?" Yurie asked the scientist who was being interrogated from before.

"I'm fine. Thank you for helping me!" he said, tears in his eyes.

"So, you've had run-ins with them before?" Yuta asked.

Logan nodded. "We ran into one in the forest, and then Yurie had an incident at the Devon Corporation."

"I see."

"You should be careful. So far, I've had no problem in beating them, as you just saw. But they could be dangerous. And I was half bluffing with their boss. He looked like he could have been a problem," Logan said.

"I'll keep my eyes out."

The three went back to the Pokémon Center. Yuta had decided to stay one night in Slateport, but he would leave early in the morning.

"Yuta, I'm sorry for calling you a jerk earlier," Yurie said while the three ate dinner.

"You didn't call me a jerk?"

"Oh, I must have just thought it then," Yurie replied.

Yuta smiled.

"Aren't you gonna apologize for implying that I'm a moron?"

Yuta's smile faded. "But you are a moron."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

And there's that. This is probably the shortest chapter so far. Figured I'd bring back Yuta for a chapter. I don't really want to portray him as some kind of meanspirited rival, but I think he sort of comes off that way. In my experience, people aren't really like that, or so I thought. Sometimes, Japanese people can be a bit more blunt when they call people idiots, so I think it works culturally. In later chapters, we'll see him change a bit. Next chapter is the contest! I'm looking forward to it!

"Iikanji" means good feeling. It's often said when people see pictures that they want to keep.

I still need one more OC for future contests. If you haven't sent me an OC yet and you want to, then please contact me!


	14. Bacon and Eggs

Chapter 14 - Bacon and Eggs

* * *

Since Yurie didn't get any training in the night before, she woke up extra early and started to train with her Pokémon. Aron watched as Torchic and Masquerain sparred with one another. Yurie wrote down notes and tried to figure out a good appeal.

"Do you want to try battling?" she asked Aron. Aron looked out on the field. He took a few steps, but then Torchic came running towards him, startling the Steel-type, and Aron retreated behind Yurie. "Maybe later!"

"Hey, Yurie," Logan said. He brought two plates to the picnic table. "I made you some breakfast."

"What'd you make me?" Yurie said. She looked at the food. "Nothing from the vending machine?"

"Nope! I made this special for you! Bacon and eggs! There's also toast, but I didn't make it. They have it every morning at Pokémon Centers. The bacon and eggs too. I didn't make any of it actually. That was all a lie," he explained quickly.

"Well, thank you nonetheless!" Yurie said. She grabbed a piece of bacon.

"Do you know what you're going to do this time around? Don't think that Aron is up for either battling or trying to perform, so you're best off using Torchic and Masquerain again."

Yurie nodded. "Yeah. I'm going to have Torchic try appealing. It's a bit risky since I haven't battled much with Masquerain, but we've been training this morning, and I think I've memorized her moves."

"You can win this one! I know you can!" Logan said with a piece of toast in his mouth.

* * *

"Welcome one and all to the Slateport City Summer Contest! This is the first contest of the season in Slateport, and this crowd is hot hot hot!" the announcer screamed into the microphone.

Yurie sat in the back with her two Pokémon while Logan sat in the audience. Aron sat in his own chair, and he looked curiously around at everyone. Logan slowly pet his head. Yurie had changed into a long blue dress to try and match Masquerain.

"As usual, we'll start this contest with the Performance Stage! Coordinators will show us their Pokémon's individual talents and try to showcase how well they've raised their Pokémon! Let's get started!"

Yurie coached Torchic through what they were going to do. She wanted to make sure that they got it right. Torchic seemed to understand, nodding and hanging onto Yurie's every word. The other trainers came and went. Some were able to impressively show off their Pokémon, but there were a few that were unsuccessful.

"Next up is the Kawahara Yurie from Littleroot Town!" the announced yelled. Yurie and Torchic ran to the stage, and the crowd became quiet.

"Let's do this!" Yurie said. Torchic ran onto the stage and posed. The crowd cheered. "Use Ember!"

Torchic looked up and shot his attack into the air.

"Now, Peck!"

The flames from Torchic's previous attack started to fall from the sky. Torchic pecked at each of them individually, destroying them one by one. They blew up as they were hit, and red dust fell to the ground. Torchic landed and let the small flames rain down on him.

"Finish this with a Fire Spin!"

Logan grinned. "When did Torchic figure out Fire Spin?"

Once again, Torchic looked up into the air. He started to roll his neck and fire burst from his mouth. The fire spun into the air, creating a tornado-like figure. Torchic stopped his attack and the flames fell to the ground, engulfing him. The flames exploded into smoke, and Torchic posed. The crowd cheered and clapped.

"Wonderful! Yurie and Torchic showed their power by having every attack escalate in strength! They also showcased that not only is fire powerful, but it can also be beautiful!"

"Wasn't that nice?" Logan asked Aron. Aron stared intently at Yurie and Torchic.

Yurie made her way to the back and took a seat. The remaining participants performed their appeals while Yurie trained with Masquerain.

"Coordinators!" the announcer's voice boomed. "Now that the Performance Stage is over, it's time to announce who will be moving onto the Battle Stage! Please bring your attention to the screen!"

Everyone focused on the screen and four figures popped up. On the far right was Yurie's face, revealing that she would be moving onto the next round.

"I did it!" Yurie screamed.

"She did it!" Logan cheered. Aron danced slightly. Suddenly, someone tapped on Logan's shoulder. He turned. "Yui?"

"Hello!" Yurie's older sister said. "Is this seat taken?" She gestured to the seat next to Logan's.

"No, feel free to take a seat! You aren't competing today?"

Yui sat down and shook her head. "I intended to, but I was five minutes late to signing up. I can see that Yurie has made it to the Battle Stage though, so that's good at least."

"She's really improved in such a short amount of time."

Yui nodded. "Well, it's too soon to say. She still has some battling to do."

"Coordinators, please take a short 15 minute break to prepare with your Pokémon!" the announcer said.

Yurie took a look around the room, observing the other trainers. One was a boy who wore a white shirt with a floral pattern on it. He looked like he was a few years older than Yurie. Another was a small girl with pigtails and a bright yellow hat. And the last challenger looked to be a female foreigner with long blonde hair. She sat in the corner with her arms folded. Everyone tried to avoid each other's gaze. The room was uncomfortably quiet. Yurie walked into the hallway and released Masquerain.

"Okay, these new opponents look like they're gonna be tough cookies! We have to bring our best!" Masquerain smiled at her and flew around in circles. Yurie double checked her Pokédex and Masquerain's moves.

* * *

"So, you think Yurie is improving?" Yui asked Logan.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. We've been spending a lot of time together, and I've seen her get considerably better."

"You've been spending a lot of time together?" Yui asked with a grin.

"Yeah?" Logan said with a quizzical look.

"Why would you choose Yurie though? Why not me?"

Logan paused. "What do you mean by that?"

Yui sat back in her chair. "Oh, it's nothing."

* * *

The 15 minutes flew by very quickly, and soon the crowd had gathered back into their seats. The announcer took the stage.

"Okay, everyone! It's time to move onto the Battle Stage! Overall, there will be three matches, and our first match will be Yamada Kengo vs. Nakamura Natsuki! Coordinators, please come to the stage!"

The boy with the white shirt and the little girl with pigtails ran to opposite ends of the stage, and they began their battle. Yurie and the other girl who remained in the locker room watched intently. Occasionally, Yurie would look at the other girl, but she never once took her eyes off of the screen. The boy with the white shirt won his match by a landslide, not losing a single point. As soon as he was announced as the winner, the foreign girl turned to Yurie.

"We're next. I should let you know that no one will get in my way," she said angrily. "Not you, and definitely not him!" She pointed at the screen.

Yurie nodded. "Let's do our best!"

"Kengo will move onto the next round to take on the winner of our next bout, Kawahara Yurie vs. MacKenzie Thomas!"

Yurie and MacKenzie ran to the stage and took their positions.

"Alright, trainers! Let's begin!" the announcer said while the timer started and the points appeared on screen.

"Go, Masquerain!" Yurie said while tossing her Poké Ball into the air. Masquerain appeared and floated around happily.

"Dustox, fight honorably!" MacKenzie shouted. Her Pokémon appeared, and it screeched at Masquerain.

"It looks like we're gonna have a match that takes place in the air!" the announcer screamed excitedly.

"Let's start with Psybeam!" MacKenzie ordered.

Dustox flew forward and a purple energy shot from its eyes.

"Quiver Dance!" Yurie directed.

Masquerain began to flutter around quickly, dancing through the air. After images were created, and the Psybeam attack completely missed.

"Venoshock! And get closer!"

Dustox darted towards Masquerain. It lifted his arms and shot tiny beams from them. They landed directly, and Masquerain fell towards the ground, but quickly recovered.

"That's what I thought!" MacKenzie yelled.

"Air Cutter!" Yurie instructed.

Masquerain flew backwards a few feet, and her wings started to glow white. She shot the built up energy directly towards Dustox.

"I don't think so! Light Screen!"

Dustox created a light purple barrier in front of its body. Masquerain's attack destroyed the barrier but did not connect with Dustox.

"Dustox, use Silver Wind!"

Dustox flew back and sent silver energy soaring from its wings.

"Dodge, and get up close with Quick Attack!" Yurie said.

Masquerain flew in between the Silver Wind attack, avoiding every obstacle. She then slammed her body into Dustox, sending the Pokémon to the ground.

"Now, Air Cutter!" she said.

Masquerain repeated her motions from last time, sending the white energy directly towards the downed Dustox. The attack landed directly, and when the smoke had cleared, Dustox was revealed to have fainted.

"And that is a Battle Off!" the announcer yelled. "Yurie will move onto the finals to take on Kengo!"

MacKenzie huffed as she returned her Pokémon to its ball. She glared at Yurie and then turned away.

"Trainers, please take a five minute break!" the announcer instructed them.

"Yurie really has improved," Yui commented. "She's never been even remotely interested in Pokémon, so this is truly surprising to me."

"Pokémon training isn't for everyone, but some people are just naturally gifted. I think Yurie is one of those who really gets it," Logan said.

Yui nodded. "I can't let Yurie beat me though! As proud as I am of her, I can't allow her to get ahead!"

"She's been practicing pretty hard," Logan replied with a smile.

* * *

"That's too bad, MacKenzie," Kengo said with a grin while she came back to the locker room. "I really wanted to beat you."

"Kengo, when I get my chance, I'm going to show you how much of a fraud you are!" MacKenzie yelled. She turned to Yurie. "You better beat this guy, you got it? Don't let him bully you around!"

"I guess you two know each other?" Yurie questioned.

Kengo nodded. "She's one of my ex lovers."

"Don't you say that nasty word!" MacKenzie screamed.

Yurie slowly stepped back into the hallway while the two argued with one another. She found the girl with pigtails sitting on the floor. She held a small blue and round Pokémon tightly.

"I've battled with these two for two years straight now," she said. "They're always fighting."

"You know them?" Yurie asked.

The little girl nodded. "Yeah. We all started in Johto together."

"I see," You said. She looked at the little girl, puzzled. "How old are you? I'm sorry, but you look younger than me."

"I get that a lot. I'm turning thirteen this year."

Yurie turned away. _But she's so much smaller and cuter than me!_

"Attention finalists! Please make your way to the stage!" the announcer yelled.

"Good luck," the little girl said. "He's good."

The two trainers ran to the stage and took their positions. The crowd went silent.

"Begin!" the announcer yelled, and the timer started. Both of the trainers threw their Poké Balls into the air. Masquerain appeared before Yurie, and a small green Pokémon appeared before Kengo.

"I watched your Masquerain closely, and there's no way that it'll beat my Roselia," Kengo said.

"Yurie has the type advantage, so that's good," Logan said.

Yui nodded. "Yeah, but Kengo is experienced. She's gonna have to battle hard."

"Roselia, use Toxic Spikes!" Kengo ordered.

Roselia began to shake, and it tossed a few purple spikes into the air. They landed in the middle of the stage haphazardly.

Yurie looked at them closely. "That's it?"

"It's a precaution," Kengo replied.

"Whatever! Masquerain, use Quick Attack!"

Masquerain darted forward.

"Giga Drain."

Roselia ducked under Masquerain. It grabbed a hold of the Bug-type and began to suck energy from it.

"Not good!" Yurie said. "Get away from it!"

Masquerain retreated, and Roselia licked its lips.

"Are you afraid?" Kengo asked.

"Use Bubble!"

Masquerain started her attack, shooting bubbles directly towards Roselia.

"Dodge!'

Roselia danced to the side, avoiding the attack completely.

"Yurie is being toyed with. She needs to calm down," Yui said.

"Air Cutter!" Yurie ordered.

Masquerain's wings began to glow white. She quickly shot downwards.

"Magical Leaf."

Green, leaf-like energy appeared around Roselia. The energy blew upwards, connected directly with Masquerain's attack. They cancelled each other out.

_He has a counter for everything I do_, Yurie thought.

"Is it starting to set in that you're not winning this battle?" Kengo asked. He pointed to the scoreboard. Yurie's points were less than half while Kengo still had a full bar.

"I'm not giving up yet!"

"You should. Roselia, Grass Whistle!"

Roselia began to whistle and dance around. Masquerain's wings began to slow down, and she slowly started to fall from the sky.

"It fell asleep!" Logan said.

Yurie gasped as she looked at Masquerain's lifeless body. Below the Flying-type were the toxic spikes. "No! Masquerain!"

"It's over," Kengo said. He turned away.

"Masquerain!" Yurie screamed. Suddenly, Masquerain shot awake, seconds before she would have hit the spikes. Masquerain took notice of the spikes and winced.

"I can't believe it!" the announcer screamed.

"Now's our chance! Use Air Cutter!" Yurie directed.

Masquerain blew her white energy from her wings.

"Magical Leaf."

Roselia repeated the same motions as before, sending her own green energy back at Masquerain. The two energies connected, exploding on contact.

"Ha!" Kengo laughed, but his smile soon faded as soon as he saw the toxic spikes flying through the air. They collided directly with Roselia, knocking it over. "What?!"

"Use our Quick Attack and Bubble combo!" Yurie ordered.

Masquerain shot through the air while blowing bubbles from her mouth. The bubbles surrounded her body.

"Giga Drain!"

Roselia reached up to grab Masquerain, but the bubbles popped against its body, stopping the attack. Masquerain smashed into Roselia and quickly backed away.

"Magical Leaf!"

Once again, Roselia formed a green energy around its body. It shot its attack at close range.

"Quiver Dance!"

Masquerain fluttered around, completely avoided the green energy.

"Use Magical Leaf one more time!" Kengo commanded.

Before Roselia could start its attack, Masquerain's body disappeared. She reappeared directly behind Roselia.

"Air Cutter."

White energy burst from Masquerain's wings, sending Roselia flying forwards. Roselia landed hard on the ground. It tried to stand back up, but it fell back down.

"What a comeback! It looks like Roselia is unable to continue, which means that we have another Battle Off, which means that Yurie is the winner of the Slateport City Summer Contest!" the announcer yelled. The crowd cheered.

"She actually did it," Yui said.

Logan grinned. "I didn't doubt her for one second!"

Aron smiled and silently cheered for Yurie.

Kengo returned his Pokémon. He held his hand out to Yurie. She looked at his hand with a blank stare. He quickly retracted it.

"Well, if you're gonna be so rude, then I have no reason to shake your hand!" Kengo yelled.

"Oh! We were gonna shake hands?" Yurie asked.

Kengo shook his head. "You have a lot to learn about respect, little girl!"

Yurie smiled. "It was a fun battle! Let's do it again sometime!"

Kengo's frown turned into a half smile. "It was fun. I'll see you in the future."

The announcer ran out onto the stage while Kengo went to the back. She held up Yurie's hand. "I present to you our winner, Kawahara Yurie from Littleroot Town!" the crowd cheered. "And Yurie, I'm honored to bestow upon you the Slateport City Summer Ribbon!" She handed Yurie a blue ribbon with silver trim around it. Yurie stared at it, amazed. "Please come and visit Slateport again sometime!"

Yurie held up the ribbon. "I did it!" Masquerain posed with her, and the crowd cheered and clapped once more.

* * *

"You did great!" Logan told Yurie while the three trainers sat in the Pokémon Center. "I'm so happy that you did it!"

Yurie smiled at her ribbon. She hadn't stopped staring at it since she won. Torchic and Masquerain were also fascinated with it. "I'm very glad I won!" She turned to Yui. "It's too bad that we couldn't compete against each other."

Yui nodded. "Yeah, but I should let you have this one. If we competed, I would have won."

Yurie laughed. "Okay!"

"You may have won this contest, but you still need to improve. Both of your battles ended with a Battle Off, and while that's okay, it's not seen as very graceful," Yui explained. "It's more impressive to win by eliminating their points or by running down the time."

"I see…" Yurie said. She put her ribbon in the case that Michika had given her. "Have you won any contests this year?"

"There was a contest in Petalburg a few days ago that I took part in and won, so we're even."

"Where are you going next?" Yurie asked.

"I think I want to go home for a bit. I feel bad that I haven't seen mom since I've left," Yui replied. "There's also a contest in Oldale that I'd be interested to do. It's close to home, so it makes sense. And you two?"

"My next gym is in Mauville City," Logan said.

Yurie looked at her PokéNav. "It looks like the next contest I want to do is in Verdanturf Town, which is right next to Mauville. Do you want to travel together, Logan?"

Yui smiled.

"Yeah! That sounds fun!"

"I'll also be heading north for a day or two. There's a shortcut from Slateport to Oldale, so I think I'll tag along for a bit," Yui said.

"I get to travel with my sister for a bit! I'm so excited!" Yurie happily exclaimed.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

There it be. The three characters that appeared in this chapter will come back in contests later on. Not sure how many time though.

That's all. Hope you're having a great day!


	15. Inarizushi

Chapter 15 - Inarizushi

* * *

Yurie and Yui woke up early to prepare for their travels. The two made various packed lunches for the next few days, and they exchanged recipes. Since Yui had been on the road for a year already, she had picked up new techniques that Yurie was eager to learn. When they had finished, the three were out the doors and on their way. Within a few hours, they were well into Route 110.

The three walked along a road that was surrounded on one side by a forest and on the other side by a path that saw bikers zip past.

"That's the Seaside Cycling Road," Yui explained. "It's used for people who commute often from Mauville to Slateport and vice versa. If we had bikes, we could get to Mauville within a few hours, because it's a straight shot."

"That sounds amazing!"

Logan nodded. "But with our path, we're sure to run into some wild Pokémon! Maybe we'll make new friends!" Poochyena happily barked.

The three continued on their path a little while longer but stopped when they came across a gigantic house in the middle of the road. Logan approached the house and read the sign on the front.

"Welcome to the Trick House. Join us for some fun like no other," he read. "Sounds like it could be fun!"

"Fun like no other!" Yurie added.

"I suppose we could take a break," Yui said. "But this is actually where we're supposed to split." She pointed to the two different paths that they were faced with. "I see no reason to not have some fun first."

The three walked into the house, but it was dead silent. Yurie and Yui called for the owner of the home, but no one responded.

"That's odd," Yurie said.

Yui took a look around the room. "Maybe this is a test?"

Logan's stomach growled. "Maybe, but I'm starving, and I don't think I can do a test in my current condition."

"I don't think the owner of the house would mind if we had our picnic here!" Yurie said. "They've got a lot of room."

The three sat at the middle table, and Yurie pulled out some of the food that she had prepared earlier.

"My chair feels funny," Logan commented. He shrugged and took a look at the food on the table.

"This is inarizushi! It's made out of fried tofu and sushi rice!" Yurie explained.

Logan begrudgingly picked up a piece with his chopsticks. "Itadakimasu…" He put a piece in his mouth while the two sisters watched him. He grinned from ear to ear. "This is delicious! I usually hate tofu, but this is great!"

Yui nodded. "Yeah. It's very sweet, so it doesn't taste like your regular tofu."

The three scarfed down the food quickly. Logan leaned back in his chair.

"That was so good!" he said. Suddenly, his chair started moving, and Logan jumped off of it. "Something's wrong with my chair!"

"You darn kids!" a voice yelled.

"What? Who is that?" Yurie asked, looked around for a source of the voice.

"Come into my house, eat food, and don't even play my games!" the voice boomed. Suddenly, the chair started to grow, and a man came out from under it. "And my aching back!"

"Oh my! We're sorry!" Yui said. "We didn't realize that you were under the chair!"

Logan frowned. "Why were you under the chair?"

The man held his lower back. "It's part of the fun! You're supposed to come in and look for me! You're not supposed to sit on me!"

"We didn't know," Yurie said. "Do you want some inarizushi?"

The man looked at the food on the table. "That sounds great!" He took a piece.

"We're really sorry," Yui said.

The man smiled while he ate the food. "It's no problem! But now you're gonna have to play my games!"

The three all looked at one another. "What kind of games?" Yui asked.

"You two!" the man said while pointing at the sisters. "Come with me!" The two sisters followed him while Logan stayed behind.

Logan looked down at Poochyena. "This should be fun!"

* * *

"A house of mirrors?" Yui asked. She looked out at the various mirrors. "That's it?"

"This has been rated the hardest house of mirrors in the whole world! No one has ever made it through my maze to the end!" the man explained. "If you can get through in 30 minutes, then I'll have a prize for you!"

The two sisters looked at one another. They stepped forward and entered into the maze.

"Good luck!" the man said. He turned around and walked back to the main room. "And now for you!"

* * *

"Okay, so can you explain the game to me again?" Logan asked.

"You take the mop, put it in the bucket, ring the extra water out, and then scrub the floors," the man explained.

"I don't see how this is a game," Logan remarked.

"And I don't see how I'm supposed to get any cleaning done with a broken back!"

* * *

"Yui," Yurie said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Have you talked to Haruto recently?"

"Haruto?" Yui wondered. "I saw him last year right before I got my first Pokémon. He wished me luck on my journey. Said that he was off to Sinnoh."

"I see."

"Why do you ask?"

Yurie shook her head. "No reason. I just kind of wish that I could have seen the both of you more. The day that you got your first Pokémon was the last time I saw the both of you for the longest time. It got lonely not hearing from either one of my siblings."

"I should have called more."

"You should have called once."

"I'm sorry."

The two continued slowly through the maze, their images reflecting off of the multiple mirrors throughout the room.

"What about Kensuke?" Yui asked.

"What about Kensuke?"

"Have you heard from him?"

Yurie shook her head. "I haven't. And I've moved on."

"You've moved on?" Yui said with a grin. "Is it Logan?"

"Logan?"

"Yeah, are you two a thing?"

"We're not a thing! We're just friends!"

"I don't believe you. The way you look at him, it's embarrassing."

"Even if I did like him, which I don't, I'm probably not his type!"

Yui nodded. "You're right. You're too young for him."

Yurie huffed and then walked a few feet forward. "Why are you always trying to start things?"

"I'm not trying to start anything."

Suddenly, the ground started to shake and a mirror came up from the ground, making a wall in between them.

"Yurie!" Yui yelled.

"Yui!" she replied.

"Are you okay?" Yui asked.

"I'm fine! And you?"

"I'm okay. It looks like we're gonna be on our own from now on. Let's try to make it through though, okay?"

"Okay! I'll keep walking! I got Torchic, so I won't get lonely!" Yurie turned to Torchic. "Let's go!"

The sisters continued walking on their own separate paths.

* * *

"So, do you understand the rules of the game?" the man asked.

Logan glared. "I wash the dishes with soap, I rinse the soap off, and then I dry them."

"Wow! You're really catching on!"

Logan looked down at Poochyena. "This wasn't exactly what I had thought today was going to be like."

* * *

Yurie walked together with Torchic. She walked in silence while Torchic led the way. Torchic would occasionally turn to her and point his beak in a different direction for them to go.

"You're really smart, Torchic. I should have no problem getting out of here with you by my side," Yurie said with a sigh.

"Torchic!" the Pokémon said happily.

"I'm sorry that I was mean to you at first. I didn't think that I could be friends with a Pokémon," she told him. "I was so lonely. First my brother left, and then my sister. I had no one, and I think I wanted to just push people away. But now I have you! And I have Logan, and I think I'm happy."

She leaned down and pet Torchic.

On the other side of the maze, Yui was walking alone. She crossed her arms and shivered.

"It's so cold." She looked up at the mirror and smiled. She adjusted her short brown hair and checked to make sure that her red shirt truly matched her black pants. "But I'm so cute!" Suddenly, a small figure zipped past her reflection. Yui's eyes darted around, looking for whatever it was. "Who's there?"

Everything was silent. She started to walk a little bit faster. The figured ran past the mirrors once more, and Yui started running. She collided with a mirror and it knocked her on her back. "Ouch."

* * *

"Okay, so now I'm vacuuming," Logan said with a frown. "Are you having my friends do chores too?"

The man shook his head. "These aren't chores, my boy! These are fun games!"

"In that case, it really is fun like no other…"

"Work faster!"

* * *

Yurie and Torchic continued their trek through the maze. They remained silent almost the whole time, but Torchic gradually sped up his pace. He would make quick decisions and then continue on his selected path, and Yurie had no choice but to follow. A small figure flashed on the various mirrors and then disappeared quickly, startling Torchic. The Fire-type started running forward, chasing after the figure.

"Torchic, no!" Yurie yelled while running after her Pokémon, but he was too quick, and within moments, Yurie and Torchic were separated. Yurie took a few breaths and looked around frantically. "Torchic?" No response. "Torchic!" Yurie looked at the various mirrors, her reflections staring back at her. "It's just me." Her legs began to shake, and she dropped to her knees. "It's just me again." Tears slowly started to form at her eyes. No matter how hard she fought them, they made their way through. "Why? Why is it just me? Why am I alone?" She pounded her fists against the floor. "Why?"

"Minun?" a soft voice called. Yurie looked up and noticed a small cream colored Pokémon. It had a curious look on its face.

Yurie wiped the tears from her eyes. "H-hello."

"Minun?" the Pokémon said once again. It stepped forward and put its paw on Yurie's knee.

"I'm okay," Yurie said.

Suddenly, Yui's voice boomed from the right.

"Get back here you little-" she screamed while chasing after another cream colored Pokémon, but as soon as she saw Yurie, she stopped. "Yurie? Yurie, are you okay?"

Yurie wiped the rest of her tears on her blouse and stood up. "Yeah. I just-I just fell."

"Where's Torchic?"

"Oh yeah! Torchic!" Yurie yelled.

The cream colored Pokémon looked at each other. They waved at Yurie and Yui and started to run down one of the paths.

"Maybe they know?" Yurie wondered.

"Let's go!"

* * *

"Alright, my boy! You passed all of my tests! Now, you can receive your prize!" the man said

"The only thing I want is to leave," Logan, exhausted from doing the various chores, replied.

"Torchic!" a voice called. The two turned to notice Torchic standing at the doorway.

"No way," the man murmured.

"Torchic? Where's Yurie?" Logan asked.

Torchic turned his head and then cocked it. "Torchic!" The two cream colored Pokémon rushed through the doorway and past Torchic. Yui and Yurie soon followed.

"I can't believe it!" the man yelled.

"We made it!" Yui said.

"Torchic!" Yurie cried out while grabbing her Pokémon. "I never want to lose you again!" She looked at the exhausted Logan. "What have you been doing?"

"Playing games."

"We made it through the maze!" Yui said. "What's our prize?"

The man looked frantically around the room. He fixed his gaze on the two cream colored Pokémon. "These! You get a chance to battle this Minun and Plusle!"

Logan shook his head. "He just made that up."

Yurie pulled out her Pokédex.

"Plusle and Minun, the Cheering Pokémon. Plusle always acts as a cheerleader for its partners. Whenever a teammate puts out a good effort in battle, this Pokémon shorts out its body to create the crackling noises of sparks to show its joy. Minun loves to cheer on its partner in battle. It gives off sparks from its body while it is doing so. If its partner is in trouble, this Pokémon gives off increasing amounts of sparks," the Pokédex chimed.

"They're so cute!"

"They're pests!" the man yelled.

The group moved to the outside, and Minun and Plusle seemed to have understood what was happening. They fist bumped each other and then prepared for battle.

"Time for your big sister to show you how it's done," Yui said while pulling out a Poké Ball. "Go, Combusken!" A red and yellow Pokémon appeared in front of Yui. It looked back at Torchic and grinned. Torchic ran forward and puffed out his chest.

Minun and Plusle started to run towards the Fire-types. Minun stopped and started clapping its hands, creating sparks. Plusle jumped into the air, and its body was enveloped in electricity. It slammed into Combusken.

"Helping Hand into a Spark combo," Logan remarked.

"Double Kick!" Yui ordered.

Combusken quickly recovered and stood back up. She twisted her body and kicked Plusle in the face. She quickly followed it up with another kick to the stomach, sending the Pokémon back. Minun cried out worryingly. It turned and started running for Torchic. Minun jumped into the air, and a ball of electric energy formed at its tail. It flipped around, shooting the ball straight towards them.

"Dodge!" Yui and Yurie directed in unison. The two Pokémon jumped into the air, allowing the ball to hit the ground.

"Fire Spin!" Yurie instructed.

Once Torchic landed back onto the ground, he let out a spiraling stream of fire from his mouth. The stream surrounded both Minun and Plusle, trapping them inside.

"Mirror Move!" Yui ordered.

Combusken leapt into the air, and a ball of electric energy formed near her bottom. She shifted her body, shooting the electric ball straight towards the trapped Electric-types. It destroyed the spinning fire, and when the smoke had cleared, both Plusle and Minun had fainted.

The two sisters pulled out their Poké Balls and nodded at one another. They tossed them at the Pokémon, Yurie's ball absorbing Minun and Yui's ball getting Plusle. The balls fell to the ground and slowly rocked back and forth. Within a few moments, both Pokémon were caught.

"We did it!" Yui and Yurie yelled in unison.

"They did it!" the man said.

Yui and Yurie ran to their Poké Balls and released their Pokémon. Minun and Plusle looked at one another.

"Minun, would you want to join me on my journey?" Yurie asked the Pokémon. Minun smiled and danced. Torchic joined her.

Yui pet Plusle. "And you'll be coming with me, Plusle. We'll have lots of fun." The Pokémon grinned.

"Thanks for getting rid of them for me!" the man said. "They've been making a muck around here recently! And thanks for playing all of my games, my boy!"

"I want to leave," Logan said.

"Well, Yurie. This is it for awhile," Yui said. Plusle jumped up onto her shoulder. "I'll see you again sometime soon."

Yurie and Minun waved goodbye to Yui and Plusle. "Yeah! And next time, I want to battle with you again! It was fun!"

With that, Logan and Yurie went down their path and Yui went down hers. When they would meet next, none of them knew.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I actually had a lot of fun writing this chapter. As of writing these notes (I write them immediately after finishing a chapter), I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with Chapter 16, but Chapter 17 will be a Gym Battle. I don't want my chapters to necessarily be gym battle, contest, gym battle, contest, so I'll have the occasional breather chapter.


	16. Tamagoyaki

Chapter 16 - Tamagoyaki

* * *

"Electrike!" a small green Pokémon barked at Logan and Yurie.

The two had been traveling for a day now on Route 110. They decided to take a break and have a picnic when they were interrupted by a new Pokémon.

"Electrike, the Lightning Pokémon. Electrike stimulates its leg muscles with electric charges. These jolts of power give its legs explosive acceleration performance. It runs faster than the human eye can follow. The friction from running is converted into electricity, which is then stored in this Pokémon's fur," Yurie Pokédex chimed.

"Do you think it wants my tamagoyaki?" Yurie said while looking down at her omelet.

Logan nodded and then stood up. "I've been itching to battle." Poochyena ran out in front of him and prepared to battle.

The Electric-type darted forward quickly, smashing its body into Poochyena. Poochyena quickly recovered though. Electrike turned around and started running for Poochyena once more. This time, its jaws were sparking with electricity.

"Iron Tail!" Logan ordered.

Before Electrike could get in close for its attack, Poochyena jumped into the air and smashed his tail against Electrike's jaw. Electrike fell back and winced.

"Tackle!"

Poochyena lunged forward and smashed his body into Electrike. Electrike quickly found its footing, and its body was enveloped with electricity. It ran into Poochyena once more. Poochyena tried to stand back up but suddenly froze.

"Paralyzed," Logan noted.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Yurie asked.

Once again, Electrike darted forward, its jaws electrified.

"Sand Attack!" Logan ordered.

Using what energy he could gather, Poochyena dug his paws into the ground. He flung sand into the air, getting it in Electrike's face. Electrike jumped into the air, but completely missed its attack.

"Iron Tail once more!"

Poochyena attempted his attack but couldn't move a muscle.

The Electrike lunged forward and bit onto Poochyena's shoulder. Poochyena howled. Logan lifted Poochyena's Poké Ball and returned him. He pulled another Poké Ball from his belt.

"It looks like this Electrike is quite the fighter," Logan said. "Go, Vigoroth!" Vigoroth appeared. She yawned and then glared at Electrike.

Electrike darted forward with incredible speed once more.

"Fury Swipes!"

Before Electrike could get in its attack, Vigoroth started to slash wildly. Electrike took multiple hits.

"Now, Aerial Ace!"

Before Electrike could recover, Vigoroth jumped into the air. She collected white energy in her claws and then came crashing down directly onto the wild Pokémon. Electrike did not get back up. Logan reached into his backpack and pulled out a white Poké Ball.

"What's that?" Yurie asked.

"This is called a Premier Ball. I collect different kinds of Poké Balls, and this one is one of my favorites. I had my aunt send me some of my collection," he explained. He tossed the ball at Electrike, getting a direct hit. Electrike was absorbed. The Premier Ball rocked for a few moments before letting out a soft ding, and the Pokémon was caught. Logan ran to the ball and smiled.

"Our friends just keep growing!" Yurie said with a wide grin.

Logan ran back to the picnic table and dug through his bag. He pulled out a few berries and then released Poochyena and Electrike from their balls. They glared at each other.

"None of that," Logan said. "We're friends now." He handed two berries each to both Pokémon, and they ate them while looking suspiciously at one another. Poochyena's paralysis slowly started to fade away.

Yurie put some of the omelet that she made into two little bowls. She handed it over to the both of the Pokémon. Electrike smiled while he devoured his share. She walked over to Vigoroth and handed him a piece. Vigoroth happily ate the omelet.

"How much longer until we're in Mauville?" Logan asked. He sprinkled some of his spices onto some Pokémon food and gave over the bowls to all of Yurie's and his Pokémon.

Yurie checked her PokéNav. "We should be there in a few hours!" She scrolled through the news. "Oh! It looks like Michika won another ribbon!"

"Oh really?"

"Yeah! It says here that she won the Verdanturf Town Summer Ribbon," Yurie exclaimed. "When I compete, it'll be for the autumn ribbon!"

"How long have we been traveling?" Logan asked.

Yurie thought on it for a moment. "I believe that I got Torchic a little under two months ago."

"Time flies," Logan said with a laugh.

The group finished up their lunch, and they started on their walk again. Bikers continued to race overhead on the cycling road. Yurie watched them with jealous looks.

"I wish I had a bike!" she exclaimed.

"But walking can be fun too, don't you think? You get exercise!"

Yurie scoffed. "You get exercise on a bike too, Logan! You also get to feel the wind flow through your hair. It feels so good!"

"Maybe there will be a bike shop in Mauville," Logan said. "You can do the rest of your journey on bike!"

Yurie nodded and looked at the ground. "Yeah."

They continued their journey, and within a couple hours, they arrived at the end of Route 110.

"We did it! My legs are so tired," Yurie commented while the two reached the high point of the hill. She looked closely at the entrance to Mauville City. Past it was a city with large buildings with neon signs and billboards everywhere.

"I never get tired of seeing cities for the first time," Logan said.

"Hey, kid," a voice called. The two turned to the entrance of the cycling road. A girl with black and red hair was looking at them. "You two Pokémon trainers?" She spoke with an accent unfamiliar to Logan.

Logan and Yurie nodded.

The girl got off her bike and approached them. "I figured with your Torchic and Poochyena. My name is Camille. I'm from the Kalos Region. I noticed that you're also not from around here."

"I'm from Unova," Logan said.

"I've never met someone from Unova before," she replied. "Would you want to try having a battle with me? I heard that people from Unova are pretty sloppy battlers. Prove me wrong?"

Logan grinned. He was eager to try out his new Electrike. "And I've heard that people from Kalos don't properly train their Pokémon, so I'm down."

The two stood on opposite ends of the field they were in. They agreed to a two out of three battle.

Yurie sat with Torchic. "We can always try to learn from Logan's battle, right?" Torchic nodded happily.

"Go, Lombre!" Camille said while she tossed her Poké Ball into the air. Lombre appeared and began to dance with its arms.

"Lombre, the Jolly Pokémon. Lombre is nocturnal - it will get active after dusk. It is also a mischief-maker. When this Pokémon spots anglers, it tugs on their fishing lines from beneath the surface and enjoys their consternation. Lombre's entire body is covered by a slippery, slimy film. It feels horribly unpleasant to be touched by this Pokémon's hands. Lombre is often mistaken for a human child," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

Logan took a long look at Lombre. "Electrike, you're up!" Electrike burst from his Poké Ball and growled at Lombre as soon as he saw it.

"Lombre, use Bubblebeam!" Camille ordered.

"Electrike, Quick Attack!"

Lombre began to blast a stream of bubbles from his mouth. The bubbles came out at an incredibly fast pace, but Electrike easily dodged them all. He slammed his body into Lombre, making the Pokémon keel back. It recovered quickly and started dancing again. Electrike growled.

"Let's do Spark!"

Electrike's body started to spark with electricity, and he darted forward.

"Fake Out!"

Before Electrike could collide with Lombre, the Water-type lifted his arms, preparing to jab. Electrike stopped. Lombre weakly hit Electrike with a left, and once Electrike started to charge up his electricity again, Lombre swung his right fist, slamming Electrike hard. Electrike fell back and growled.

"Let's not fall for that one again," Logan said.

"Water Pulse!" Camille ordered.

Lombre formed a ball of water in his hands. He tossed it into the ground creating a small wave.

"Thunder Fang! Put your mouth in the water!" Logan directed.

Sparks started to fly from Electrike's mouth, and he dove into the water. The sparks shot through the wave and shocked Lombre. Lombre fell back, small sparks flying from his body.

"Finish this with Spark!" Logan instructed.

"Dodge it!"

Electrike stumbled around a little bit before collecting himself. He charged at Lombre, who tried to move, but his muscles spasmed. Electrike landed a direct hit, and Lombre fell to the ground in a heap.

Camille sighed. "It looks like you've won this round." She returned her Pokémon.

Logan returned Electrike. "You did great!"

"This next round is mine though," Camille said while tossing a Poké Ball into the air. A pink Pokémon with ribbons coming off it appeared.

"Sylveon, the Intertwining Pokémon. Sylveon wraps its ribbonlike feelers around its Trainer's arm because this touch enables it to read its Trainer's feelings. Its ribbonlike feelers give off an aura that weakens hostility in its prey, causing them to let down their guard. Then it attacks. Once a fight breaks out, it will unflinchingly charge at dragon Pokémon that are many times larger than itself,' Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"It's so pretty," Yurie said.

"I've never seen that one before. You up for it, Poochyena?" Logan asked Poochyena. Poochyena barked and then ran out onto the field.

"You can't be serious?" Camille asked. "You do know that Dark-types are weak to Fairy, right?"

Logan winced. "I wasn't aware that it was a Fairy-type. But that's okay! Poochyena is strong. He'll do just fine!" Logan grinned. _I also have Iron Tail, so we're safe._

"Suit yourself. Sylveon, use Fairy Wind!"

Sylveon moved her ribbons to in front of her face. They began to collect a pink energy, and with a deep breath, she blew a ferocious wind at Poochyena.

"Dodge it!" Logan ordered.

Poochyena jumped to the side, but it was too late. The wind caught him, and send him flying back.

"Quick Attack!" Camille commanded.

Sylveon bounded forward, a streak of white light following her.

"Iron Tail!"

"What?!"

Poochyena leapt into the air and smashed his tail against Sylveon's face. The pink Pokémon fell back and winced at the pain.

"Use Thunder Fang!"

Poochyena started to charge his attack. He ran forward and jumped.

"Disarming Voice!"

Sylveon opened her mouth wide and blasted purple hearts into the air. The hearts enveloped Poochyena, and the Dark-type fell to the ground. He tried to stand back up, but immediately fell.

"Poochyena!" Logan called while running to his Pokémon. He lifted Poocheyna and walked back to Yurie. He handed over Poochyena who then laid down in her lap.

"I told you," Camille said.

"Your Sylveon is really strong," he commented. "I assume you've brought Sylveon from the Kalos region?"

"You got that right," she said. "Been traveling with her for a couple years now." She returned Sylveon to her Poké Ball.

Logan grabbed his next Poké Ball. "Well, it looks like I can't hold back! Go, Mudkip!" Mudkip appeared before Logan and danced around a little bit. He noticed Camille and then got serious.

"I think I'll take your approach. Quilava, let's do this!" Camille said as she tossed her Poké Ball into the air.

"Quilava, the Volcano Pokémon. Quilava keeps its foes at bay with the intensity of its flames and gusts of superheated air. This Pokémon applies its outstanding nimbleness to dodge attacks even while scorching the foes with flames. It is fully covered by nonflammable fur. It can withstand any kind of fire attack," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"A Flame-type vs. a Wet-type! This will be interesting!" Yurie noted. Torchic sighed. "What?"

"I figured I'd try that Unova style battling that you just showed me!" Camille laughed.

Logan clenched his fist. "You ready, Mudkip?" Mudkip nodded.

"Flamewheel!" Camille ordered.

Fire burst from Quilava's mouth, and she began to roll. Her entire body was engulfed in flames as she charged forward.

"Water Gun!"

Mudkip shot water from his mouth, but Quilava easily dodged and knocked her body against Mudip, sending the Pokémon to the side.

"It's so fast!" Logan said.

"Go back for more!" Camille said.

Quilava, still engulfed in flames, turned around and shot once more for Mudkip.

"Mud-Slap!"

Mudkip dug his paws into the ground. He wet the area around him then lifted the mud into the air. It covered Quilava completely and stopped the attack. Quilava tried to wipe the mud out of her eyes.

"Water Gun!"

Before Quilava could completely recover, Mudkip shot water from his mouth and blasted Quilava directly. Quilava stood back up and glared.

"Quilava, use Swift!"

Quilava opened her mouth, and small star-shaped energy blew forth. The energy collided with Mudkip, but it didn't do much.

"Let's use Water Gun once more!" Logan instructed.

"Smokescreen!"

The two Pokémon shot off their attacks, but the field was soon filled with smoke. Mudkip and Logan couldn't see anything.

"Flame Charge!" Camille's voice called.

Suddenly, Quilava burst from the smoke, her body completely on fire. She rammed into Mudkip, tossing the Water-type back.

"Rock Throw!" Logan ordered.

Mudkip dug his paws into the ground and pulled out rocks, tossing them into the air.

"Dodge with Flame Wheel!"

Quilava was once again completely engulfed in flames. She swiftly moved around every rock that was thrown at her, and she stopped right in front of Mudkip. The flames died down, and she laughed.

"Lava Plume."

Suddenly, the earth around Quilava and Mudkip got hot. Fire exploded from the ground, and Mudkip was thrown into the air. Mudkip landed with a hard thud on the ground, and his body twitched, but he did not stand back up.

Logan ran to Mudkip and picked him up. "You did your best, Mudkip. Good job, buddy." He returned Mudkip back into his ball.

Camille pet Quilava and then returned her to the Poké Ball. "You're not bad, but you need work."

"I bet if he was using his Pokémon from Unova, he'd have no problem beating you!" Yurie yelled.

"No," Logan said. He sighed. "It was a good battle, and you got the best of me. I made a mistake, and it cost me. Next time, I won't lose."

"You two are off to Mauville?" she asked.

Logan nodded.

"Let's go together! I'd like to share our stories!"

"I don't know if I want to travel with her," Yurie whispered to Logan.

"It's okay. A battle is just a battle. When it's over, we're all friends," he said. He forced a smile. "And it's only for a day."

* * *

"So, you're a coordinator and you got to the semi-finals of the Unova and Alola Leagues?" Camille asked. The three sat a diner they had found. Yurie had ordered them three milk teas. Logan hated it, but he choked it down the best he could.

"I'm gonna be the best coordinator in Hoenn!" Yurie said.

"I'd love to enter a contest someday, but I don't have the grace for it. I started my journey in Kalos, and last year I had a stint in the Johto League. I didn't qualify for the Kalos League, but I made it to the quarter-finals of the Silver Conference," Camille explained. "I'd love to have a battle with you at full strength, Logan."

Logan nodded. "Then I guess we both have to do our best to get to the Hoenn League."

"You're the first person I've ever met from Unova in Hoenn, ya know? I was kind of surprised to see you here."

"But I assume that you've met a lot of people from Unova in Kalos."

"Yeah, but I've never battled one. How about Yurie, would you like to battle?" Camille asked while she finished her drink.

Yurie shook her head. "I'm not very experienced. I'd like to do some more training before I send my Pokémon into a battle with someone as strong as you."

Camille laughed. "You two are funny."

Yurie glanced at Logan, who glared at his milk tea. She couldn't help but feel that he was more angry about his loss than what he was letting on.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Thanks for reading! So, I'm not sure if I've written this yet, but most of the characters in this story are based off of people I've met in real life. I'm basing Camille off of two people that I've met. It's hard to mix character traits, but still. When I originally went to Japan, I met a French girl who studied with me, and a lot of Camille's personality and what she says is based off of things that she had said to me. But the Pokémon that she uses are based off of what one of my friend's dream team is.


	17. Basashi

Chapter 17 - Basashi

* * *

Camille left the group in the early morning. She claimed that she was heading east, and Yurie was relieved, because her next destination was in the west.

Mauville was different from the other cities that they had been in. In Rustboro City, everyone wore suits and they appeared to be too busy to give you the time, and Slateport City was quiet and everyone seemed to not have any care in the world. Mauville was filled with young people in the streets. People zoomed by on bikes, and even during the night, the city was lit up by neon lights. The Pokémon Center, which are usually known for being quiet, was noisier than Logan was used to.

"How'd you sleep?" Yurie asked. She yawned as she took a seat at a booth in the Pokémon Center cafeteria.

"Not very well," Logan answered. He was reading through a guide to Mauville City. "I've lost two battles in the last month, and it's kind of getting to me. I'm not gonna make any mistakes this time."

"Are you challenging the gym today?"

"Yeah, but before I go, I'm trying to find as much info on the gym leader that I can. I usually go into battles completely blind, and while that was okay for awhile, it hasn't been helping me recently."

"I can try to help you do research!" Yurie said with a smile.

Yurie and Logan used their various resources to look up data on the gym leader. After awhile, Yurie made the two of them brunch, and they ate while Logan created a strategy.

"This is basashi!" Yurie exclaimed.

"It looks like the gym leader is going to use Electric-types," Logan said.

"Now, I understand that it may be weird for foreigners to eat this kind of meat, but you should keep an open mind."

"Unfortunately, I don't have any Pokémon that will be too strong against Electric-types."

"At the very least, try it! And if you don't like it, I'll get something else together, but basashi is a famous dish here in Mauville!"

"Mudkip knows Mud-Slap, but I don't think I can win an entire battle with just that one move."

"Logan, are you listening?"

"And even Electrike won't be able to do a lot. They'll cancel each other out."

"Logan!"

"Huh?"

Yurie sighed. "Just eat your basashi."

"It looks delicious!" Logan said as he ate the meat. "And it IS delicious! What is it?"

"Basashi!"

"I love it!"

"I'm relieved!"

Logan quickly finished the rest of his food while Yurie took her time with it.

"Before we go, I'm gonna try to teach Poochyena a new move," Logan exclaimed.

"Do you think we have enough time for that?" Yurie questioned.

"The gym is gonna be open late, and Poochyena is pretty good at learning new attacks on the fly. I taught him Iron Tail and Thunder Fang with little to no problem."

"Sounds like a plan! I'm willing to hang around an extra day if you need to!"

Logan smiled. "Thanks! I was also thinking that if you wanted me to, I could go with you to Verdanturf. You've helped me with my research on this gym, so I think I should repay you by going to see your next contest."

"R-really?" she asked. Logan nodded. "Th-thank you, Logan. I'd appreciate that."

Once they had finished lunch, Logan and Yurie went to the courtyard, and Logan practiced with his Pokémon while Yurie relaxed with hers. Aron watched Logan train without blinking an eye.

"You wanna get in there, buddy?" Yurie asked.

Aron looked up at Yurie. He slowly took a step forward and walked onto the battlefield.

"Aron?" Logan said while the Pokémon came closer. Aron struck a battle pose. "I think he may want to battle."

Yurie scanned Aron with her Pokédex. "Aron. Level 30. Known moves: Protect, Iron Head, Rock Slide, and Take Down," it chimed.

"What level did it say?" Logan asked in disbelief.

"Level 30," Yurie repeated. "Is that good?"

"That's really good! I don't want to offend Aron or anything, but I didn't see him being at such a high level," Logan said.

"He does seem to be a little anxious," Yurie added. "But I guess that we can train for a bit!"

Without warning, Aron shot forward. He smashed his head into Logan's Vigoroth. Vigoroth flew all the way across the courtyard and smashed into the wall. She fell to the ground in a slump, and Logan ran to her.

"Vigoroth! Are you okay?" he asked. The Pokémon didn't answer. "Oh no… She's probably gonna be out for the rest of the day."

Aron grinned and then danced around a little bit.

"No, Aron! We shouldn't attack without warning!" Yurie said sternly. Aron looked up at her, and he started to weep. "No! No! No! Don't cry! Please don't cry!" Yurie tried to calm the Steel-type by petting him. She stroked his smooth head, and the Pokémon began to calm down. "I didn't mean to yell."

"It looks like Vigoroth is out of the question for today's battle," Logan said as he came back. He held the Luxury Ball in his hand. "Is Aron okay?"

"I'm so sorry, Logan! Maybe you should battle tomorrow?"

Logan shook his head. "I won't let this get in my way! We'll win no matter what!"

* * *

The duo went to the gym after dinner. This gym was built from metal and had neon signs around it. The two entered and they were greeted by a boy around Logan's age. He was dressed in all black and his hair was bleach blonde and spiked.

"A challenger?" he asked.

"Are you the gym leader?" Logan asked.

The boy shook his head. "Nah, but I'll take you to him."

The three walked through big doors into a stadium like Logan had never seen before. The battlefield was colored black and the battle lines were drawn by lights.

"Himawari, have you brought me a challenger?" a voice boomed from afar. A small tubby man walked onto the battlefield. He stroked his white beard and grinned.

"Yep," the boy answered. He turned to Logan. "The rules are simple. Three on three. You can substitute if you want to."

"Got it!" Logan said.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Logan Stephenson!"

The boy walked to the referee stand and took his position. "You ready, gramps?"

"I'm ready to electrify you!" he said with a laugh.

"Cool. Puns," the boy remarked. Logan nodded at him. "This battle between challenger Logan Stephenson and Gym Leader Tessen Watson will now begin. It will be a three on three Pokémon battle. The challenger can make substitutions. Go."

"Allow me to show you my hand!" Watson said. He tossed a Poké Ball into the air, and a steel Pokémon with three faces appeared.

"Magneton, the Magnet Pokémon. Magneton emits a powerful magnetic force that is fatal to electronics and precision instruments. Because of this, it is said that some towns warn people to keep this Pokémon inside a Poké Ball. Large cities sound sirens to warn citizens of large-scale outbreaks of this Pokémon," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"I read that he used Magnemite, so this is a bit of a surprise. But it's nothing I haven't dealt with before," Logan said. "Electrike, you're up!"

Electrike burst from his ball. He glared at the Magneton.

"I see that you're going to fight fire with fire! Or in this case, electricity with electricity!" Tessen laughed. "I crack myself up!"

The boy turned to Logan. "For the love of everything that's holy, make your move and shut him up."

"Electrike, use Quick Attack!"

Electrike burst forward. Before Tessen could make a counterattack, Electrike smashed into Magneton, knocking the Steel-type to the ground. Magneton shook off the attack though and floated back into the air.

"Good! My turn!" Tessen said. "Tri Attack!"

Magneton's three eyes started to glow different colors. Energy formed in front of them, and they shot the energy straight towards Electrike.

"Dodge it!"

Electrike jumped into the air, easily avoiding the attack. Tri Attack smashed into the ground, destroying some of the battlefield.

"Let's do another Quick Attack!"

Once again, Electrike smashed into Magnemite before Tessen could respond. Magnemite took the hit, but floated back into the air easily.

"So, I take it that your Electrike doesn't know many attacks besides Quick Attack and dare I guess Thunder Fang?" Tessen asked. "If that's the case, you're gonna have trouble defeating my Magneton."

"It may take awhile, but if Electrike can avoid your attacks, I have full faith in his abilities."

"I guess we'll have to try to keep up!" Tessen responded. "Magneton, use Thunderbolt!"

Sparks began to fly from Magneton's bodies.

"Keep dodging!"

Electrike continuously dodged the attacks with ease.

"Quick Attack!"

Again, Electrike crashed his body into Magnemite.

"Bite and then throw it!" Logan ordered.

Electrike shifted his body. He opened his mouth and bit down onto one of Magneton's small limbs. With a flick of his head, he tossed the Steel-type to the ground. Magneton landed hard this time and took more time floating back into the air.

"You're not bad, kid," Tessen said. "But you have to keep in mind that Electrike will get tired eventually."

"Not before Magneton," Logan responded. "Quick Attack!"

"Thunderbolt!"

The two Pokémon continuously used their attacks. Magneton released electric energy onto the field, and Electrike dodged repeatedly, occasionally slamming his body into the Steel-type. When the two Pokémon stopped their attacks, Magneton floated weakly in the air while Electrike breathed heavily.

"We won't miss this time! Magneton, use Flash Cannon!"

Magneton began to charge silver energy in front of each of its faces. The energy burst from the Pokémon, ripping up the battlefield.

"Spark!" Logan ordered.

Electrike charged directly at Magneton's attack. His body emitted electrical energy, and he collided with the attack, forcing his way through it. He powered his way to Magneton and their bodies collided once more. Both Pokémon fell to the ground.

The boy looked at both Pokémon and raised his hands. "Both Pokémon are unable to continue. This battle is a draw."

Both trainer's returned their Pokémon.

"Kid, that was impressive. Your Electrike is one tough cookie, but you're gonna have to do a lot better than that if you want to beat my next two Pokémon."

"Once again, I have full faith in what my Pokémon are capable of," Logan responded. He looked at his next Poké Ball. "Go, Mudkip!"

Mudkip burst onto the battlefield. He danced around a little bit and then focused on Tessen.

"A Water-type? This is your idea of stepping it up, kid?" Tessen said while tossing his Poké Ball into the air. His Pokémon appeared and rolled around on the ground.

"Voltorb, the Ball Pokémon. Voltorb was first sighted at a company that manufactures Poké Balls. The link between that sighting and the fact that this Pokémon looks very similar to a Poké Ball remains a mystery. Because it explodes at the slightest shock, even veteran trainers treat it with caution," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"It's just a living Poké Ball?" Yurie wondered out loud.

_I have to be careful. Even if I can pull off a victory here, everything that Voltorb does could hurt Mudkip, and then there's always its explosive ways._ Logan thought.

"I know what you're thinking, and I promise you that I won't be using Self-Destruct. As powerful of a move it can be, I don't enjoy putting Voltorb through it," Tessen said. "And as it stands, I won't need it."

"Mudkip, use Rock Throw!"

Mudkip used his dug his paws into the ground that was torn up from the previous battle, and then he flung the rocks into the air.

"Now it's time to use our speed! Dodge, Voltorb!"

Voltorb started to spin and dodged every single one of the large rocks with ease. It raced up one of the rocks and landed right in front of Mudkip.

"Thunderbolt!" Tessen ordered.

"Protect!" Logan shouted.

Voltorb shot electricity from its body at close range, but Mudkip quickly focused and a shield appeared around him. The electricity bounced off of the shield, and Mudkip came out unscathed.

"You think I'd throw a Water-type in knowingly and not have countermeasures?" Logan questioned.

"Shimatta!" Tessen yelled.

"Mud-Slap!"

Mudkip reached into the ground and flung mud directly at Voltorb's eyes. The Electric-type rolled back and tried to shake it off.

"Sonic Boom!"

Suddenly, Voltorb sent an unseen energy from its body. The energy slammed into Mudkip and knocked him on his side.

"Thunderbolt!"

Once again, Voltorb used its electric attack, but this time, it missed completely, going off to the side.

"Great!" Logan yelled. "Rock Throw!"

Mudkip lifted the rocks into the air and tossed them like before.

"Dodge!"

Voltorb, with its eyes closed, raced frantically around the battlefield. It managed to avoid most of the rocks, but everytime a rock would land close, it'd make Voltorb stumble a little bit.

"You've made my Thunderbolt essentially useless," Tessen commented. "Kid, this is some of the most fun I've had in a long time."

The boy looked at his grandfather and cracked a smile

"We're not gonna let up just yet!" Logan yelled. "Water Gun!"

"And we'll use Swift!"

The two Pokémon released their attacks, making them clash in the middle of the battlefield. They exploded, sending smoke and dust into the air.

"Mud-Slap!" Logan ordered.

Mudkip dove into the smoke and quickly reappeared out the other end. He tossed mud once more at Voltorb, making the Electric-type fly into the air.

"Once more, Rock Throw!" Logan directed.

Mudkip repeated his motion from before and tossed rocks towards Voltorb. This time, the Pokémon couldn't dodge. Voltorb was pelted with rocks, and it came crashing down to the ground hard. It rolled a little bit, but it was clear that Voltorb was unconscious.

The boy raised his hand. "Voltorb is unable to battle. Mudkip is the winner."

"I can't believe it," Tessen said. He returned Voltorb. "You're really not that bad, kid."

"Battle isn't over yet," Logan said.

Tessen grinned. "You're right; it's not. It's time to show you my true power." He tossed his last Poké Ball into the air, and a blue and yellow Pokémon appeared. It growled at Mudkip.

"Manectric, the Discharge Pokémon. Manectric is constantly discharging electricity from its mane. The sparks sometimes ignite forest fires. The mane is used for collecting electricity in the atmosphere. When it enters a battle, this Pokémon creates thunderclouds. Because lightning falls in their vicinity, Manectric were thought to have been born from lightning," the Pokédex chimed. The gym slightly rumbled as thunder roared in the distance.

"Meet Manectric, the evolved form of Electrike. Now, I'd love to say that your Electrike's speed amazed me, but I've seen it before, and Electrike's speed is nothing compared to what Manectric can do," Tessen taunted. "Think you still have what it takes?"

"We're ready."

"Great!"

"Mudkip, Rock Throw!"

Mudkip, now breathing hard, tossed rocks into the air once more.

"Dodge!"

With blindingly fast speed, Manectric moved around the rocks. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Mudkip.

"Oh no," Logan muttered.

"Discharge."

A great surge of energy burst from Manetric's body. The electricity knocked Mudkip back, but he quickly recovered.

"Use Thunder Fang!"

Manectric dashed forward and gaped open his mouth, electric energy sparking from his teeth.

"Protect!" Logan yelled.

Mudkip used his energy to quickly create a barrier around him. Manectric smashed his face against it. He stepped back a few feet and shook his head.

"Mud-Slap!"

As quickly as he could, Mudkip tossed mud at Manectric. It was a direct hit, blinding the Electric-type instantly. Manetric took a few steps back and tried to wipe the mud from his eyes.

"One more time, Mudkip! Let's use Rock Throw!"

"I don't think so! Shock Wave!" Tessen ordered quickly.

Manectric opened his mouth and a surge of electric energy burst from it. The energy went straight for Mudkip, landing a direct hit before Mudkip could move. Mudkip fell to the ground and flinched, but Logan knew he wasn't getting back up.

"Mudkip is unable to battle. Manectric is the winner," the boy announced with his hand raised in the air. He clenched his fist and slowly lowered it back down to his side.

Logan returned Mudkip, and he looked at his Poké Ball. "I'm sorry, buddy. You did great though."

"You have another Water-type you want to try to use?" Tessen asked.

Logan looked at Poochyena. They both nodded, and Poochyena slowly walked to the middle of the battlefield.

Tessen laughed. "Normally, I'd mock you for using a Poochyena, but you have already proven to me that you can do amazing things, kid. Color me interested."

"You can do it Poochyena!" Yurie cheered. Torchic jumped up and down.

"Poochyena, use Iron Tail!" Logan instructed.

Poochyena ran forward and jumped into the air. He swung his tail around in an attempt to smash it into Manectric.

"Discharge!" Tessen ordered.

Before Poochyena could get within striking range, Manectric unleashed an electrical charge. It blasted the Dark-type away with ease.

"Use Shock Wave!"

Manectric opened his mouth once more, and the same energy from before shot towards Poochyena.

"Absorb it with Thunder Fang!"

Poochyena opened his mouth, and his teeth surged with electric energy. He took the attack directly, absorbing the electric waves, but he winced with pain.

"Now, attack!"

Poochyena dashed forward. He clamped down onto Manectric's leg, making the Electric-type screech with pain. Before Manectric could attack, Poochyena let go and backed up a few feet.

"Right in front of you, use Wild Charge!"

Manectric's body became enveloped with electric energy, and he ran forward with his eyes still covered in mud. He crashed haphazardly into Poochyena and sent the Dark-type flying. Poochyena landed in between some of the rocks from the last battle, and he quickly dove into them in an attempt to hide.

"Blow those rocks away with Discharge!" Tessen commanded.

Once again, Manectric unleashed electrical energy from his body. The rocks were blown away, landing outside of the battlefield, but Poochyena was nowhere to be found.

"Where did he go?" Tessen asked.

"Iron Tail!" Logan ordered.

Suddenly, Poochyena burst from the ground below Manectric. He swung his tail and smashed it into the bottom of Manectric's jaw. Manectric was thrown into the air and landed in the middle of the battlefield.

"Yeah!" Logan yelled happily, but his smile soon faded when he saw Manectric start to stir.

"I see that you've taught Poochyena Dig. And with the battlefield being an absolute disaster, you were able to hide that fact from us and get a good sneak attack in," Tessen commented. "But unfortunately, you won't fool me twice."

Manectric stood back up and roared. Poochyena roared back, and his body began to glow a bright white.

"What's happening?" Yurie wondered. "Wait! It's evolving!" She pulled out her Pokédex.

Poochyena's form began to shift, and he grew in size. The white energy burst from his body, and he was soon a different Pokémon.

"Mightyena, the Bite Pokémon. Mightyena gives obvious signals when it is preparing to attack. It starts to growl deeply and then flattens its body. This Pokémon will bite savagely with its sharply pointed fangs. Mightyena travel and act as a pack in the wild. The memory of its life in the wild compels the Pokémon to obey only those trainers that it recognizes to possess superior skill," the Pokédex chimed.

"Mightyena?" Logan said. His Pokémon turned his head and smiled at him. "Alright, Mightyena! Let's win this!"

Tessen threw his arms into the air. "This has been one of the most exciting battles I've ever been apart of! You see this, Himawari? This is the beauty of what being a gym leader is like!"

The boy smiled. "You do look like you're having fun, gramps."

"Kid, I want to thank you for such an exciting time! Don't think I'm gonna take it easy on you though!" Tessen yelled.

Logan nodded. "Enough talk! Mightyena, use Dig!"

Mightyena quickly dove into the ground.

"We gotta be careful. He could be anywhere," Tessen warned.

Suddenly, Mightyena burst from the ground right behind Manectric. The Electric-type turned and waited for his order.

"Shock Wave!"

Manectric let loose electric energy from his mouth once more and shot it towards the airborne Mightyena.

"Falling Iron Tail!" Logan yelled.

Mightyena twisted his body and smashed his tail against the Shock Wave attack. He continued to fall, and he crashed against Manectric's skull. Both Pokémon stumbled backwards, and they started to breathe slowly.

"Wild Charge! Straight forward!" Tessen commanded.

Manectric covered itself in electric energy, and he charged directly towards Mightyena. Mightyena looked back at Logan and grinned. He quickly turned, opened his mouth, and a black ball of energy formed. The black ball quickly grew in size, and he shot it towards Manectric mere feet before the Electric-type would come into contact. A giant explosion followed, and both Pokémon were blown to their sides of the battlefield. Everyone looked on as the smoke cleared. Both Pokémon slowly stood back up. They both roared at one another before Manectric collapsed.

The boy put his hand into the air. "Manectric is unable to battle. Mightyena is the winner, and the challenger is victorious!"

Yurie and Torchic cheered. Logan ran to Mightyena while his Pokémon collapsed to the floor. He gave him a hug. "You did it, buddy!"

"Subarashi!" Tessen yelled. He returned Manectric and quickly walked across the battlefield. "That battle was excellent, kid! One more time, what was your name?"

"Logan. Logan Stephenson," Logan said.

Tessen reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny box. "Logan, please take the Dynamo Badge and never forget our battle!"

Logan stood back up and accepted the badge. He opened the box and marveled at it. "I promise!"

"You did great!" Yurie said as she met the two of them. "All of your hard work paid off!"

The boy approached them and smiled. "That truly was fun to watch."

"Logan, this is my grandson, Himawari!" Tessen said. "He's actually next in line to be the Mauville City Gym Leader!"

"Yep," Himawari muttered.

Tessen nodded and smiled. "And I think that after a battle like that, I should be retiring soon!"

"But you battle like someone one third your age!" Yurie exclaimed.

Tessen laughed. "Now, where are you off to next, Logan? I'm guessing Lavaridge! Let me warn you that she's one tough cookie!"

Logan shook his head. "We're going to head to Verdanturf first. Yurie has a contest there."

"So, you're a trainer and she's a coordinator? You essentially get to travel everywhere in Hoenn if that's the case," Himawari said. "I'm very jealous."

"We get to eat a lot of different foods too!" Yurie chimed in. "Basashi is delicious though!"

"That sounds amazing," Himawari muttered.

Tessen smacked Logan on the back. "You're gonna do great, kid! I'll 100% be cheering for you when you get to Ever Grande Conference! And Yurie, I'm sure that you'll do great too!"

* * *

Back at the Pokémon Center, Logan gave Nurse Joy his Pokémon to get checked on. He called Professor Juniper and let her know where he was, took a quick shower, and when night time came, he sat by the window in the highest floor of the Pokémon Center and looked at the lights of the city. He was joined by Yurie who was wearing her Torchic themed pajamas, complete with hood.

"Today was really good," she said. "I'm sorry about what Aron did. I'll work with him to do better."

Logan smiled. "It all worked out. I got my badge after all. Don't worry yourself. Tomorrow, let's start focusing on your next contest!" They both looked out the window and admired the scenery.

"It really is beautiful," Yurie said. "I think I've decided that I want to keep traveling even when this year is up. I felt bad that I'd be leaving my mom all alone, but I'm sure she'll understand."

"It's sights like this that make it all worth it, Yurie. I've traveled from across the world, and I think I've seen my fair share of beautiful sights, but I'm always amazed by what I see."

The door to the elevator opened, and a familiar face walked into the room.

"Hey, guys," Himawari said. "Room for one more?"

"Himawari!" Yurie exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I talked with gramps. He said that I could learn a lot by being around strong trainers like yourselves, so he agreed to let me travel with you," he said. "I know it's sudden, but if you'd be okay with it, I'd like to see Hoenn and eat great food too."

Logan and Yurie looked at each other and grinned.

"The more the merrier!" Yurie shouted happily.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I really loved writing this battle. Also, Himawari will be joining Logan and Yurie for awhile. Not sure how long at the time of writing this, but something about writing him in this chapter alone made me want to have him be a main character.

"Shimatta" essentially means "dang it" and "subarashi" essentially means "marvelous." Also, I recommend looking up basashi to see what it is.


	18. Potechi

Chapter 18 - Potechi

* * *

"So, you received your Pokémon two years ago, but because you are a gym leader in training, you never got to go on your own adventure?" Yurie asked Himawari.

The three woke up earlier than usual. Within the few hours that Mauville was quiet, they left and were quickly on their way to Verdanturf.

"Yep. But even though I didn't get to travel, I've trained with Pokémon pretty hard. Two years of intense training with gramps did a lot for me, but training with the same person every day can only get you so far," Himawari said.

"I take it you're also an Electric Pokémon user?" Logan asked.

"You know it," he responded.

"So, there's Electric-types AND Lightning-types! That's good to know!" Yurie said. She pulled out a notepad.

"No-no-no," Logan said quickly. "Just Electric-types." Yurie quietly put her notepad back.

Himawari laughed. "Yurie, you sure a cutie. I can see why Logan has chosen to travel with you."

Yurie blushed. "Stop it."

The group continued on Route 117, and they came to a giant flower field.

"Wow! It's so beautiful!" Yurie said. She began taking pictures. Torchic and Mightyena ran out into the field and started to play with one another.

"It looks like they're having fun!" Logan said. He grabbed the remaining Poké Balls from his belt and tossed them into the air, releasing Mudkip, Vigoroth, and Electrike. Mudkip and Electrike began to play with the others while Vigoroth ran back and forth wildly through the field.

"In that case, I'll let my Pokémon play too!" Yurie said. She released Masquerain, Aron, and Minun. Aron looked at Vigoroth and smiled. Vigoroth huffed and turned away.

"Eh, why not?" Himawari muttered. He lifted three Poké Balls and released three Pokémon. One shook its body and then immediately ran up Himawari's arm, and sat on his shoulder. The other two, a Pokémon that looked similar to Magnemite and pudgey orange mouse, looked at the other Pokémon that were playing, unsure of what to do. "It's okay, they're friendly."

Yurie pulled out her Pokédex. "Magnemite, the Magnet Pokémon. Magnemite floats in the air by emitting electromagnetic waves from the units at its sides. These waves block gravity. This Pokémon becomes incapable of flight if its internal electrical supply is depleted." She turned to the other Pokémon. "Raichu, the Mouse Pokémon. This Pokémon exudes a weak electrical charge from all over its body that makes it take on a slight glow in darkness. Raichu searches for electricity by planting its tail in the ground."

"They're so cute!" she commented. She looked at the Pokémon on Himawari's shoulder. "And who's this guy?"

"Shinx, the Flash Pokémon. All of its fur dazzles if danger is sensed. It flees while the foe is momentarily blinded. The extension and contraction of its muscles generates electricity," the Pokédex chimed.

"They're so cute!" Yurie squealed again.

"Because I'm going to be a gym leader, I have to be professional, but I did give them nicknames. This Shinx is Kolink. Magnemite is named Koiru, and Raichu is called Hikari," Himawari explained.

"Forgive me if I forget those names," Logan said. "Not good with foreign languages."

The Pokémon continued to play while the trainers walked forward. Eventually, wild Pokémon began to appear from the flowers, and they joined in on the fun too. A few wild Poochyena found Mightyena fascinating, and they pretended to go on a small hunt together. Torchic acted as their prey.

"When I found Mightyena, he was being kicked out of his group, but now it looks like some Poochyena respect him," Logan said. He put his hand over his eyes, his lips trembled, and he turned away from the others. "I'm so happy for him."

"So, Yurie. You have an upcoming contest?" Himawari asked.

"Yes! I should start preparing for that!" she looked at her Pokémon. "I think I'm going to go with Minun and Aron this time. But I'm not sure what I'm going to do."

Logan wiped his eyes. "Well, with Himawari here, you can always practice with Electric-types."

Himawari nodded. "That's true! I've seen a few appeals done by Electric Pokémon on TV, and I think they're always beautiful."

"In that case, I'll use Minun for the Performance Stage! That means that I should probably practice battling a bit with Aron. We haven't actually battled together yet."

"You haven't?"

* * *

The group found a small area that was clear of flowers. Himawari and his Pokémon stood on one side while Yurie and Aron stood on the other.

"Okay, Koiru. This is Aron's first battle, so we should go easy on him," Himawari silently told his Magnemite. Koiru nodded.

"Let's do our best!" Yurie said. Aron cheered.

Logan sat off to the side with all of the other Pokémon. He opened a bag of chips he had bought in Mauville and handed one to Mudkip.

"We call them potato chips in Unova, but Yurie said here they say 'potechi'," he explained. He took a bite. "Potechi is terrible."

"Alright, let's get started!" Himawari said. "You can have the first move!"

"We'll do Rock Slide!" Yurie said.

"In that case, let's use Metal-" Himawari began to say.

Without notice, Aron lunged forward. As he did with Vigoroth, he smashed his skull into Magnemite, sending it flying back. Magnemite crashed down a few yards behind Himawari. It instantly fainted. Vigoroth pointed at Magnemite and began to laugh hysterically.

Himawari ran to Magnemite and pulled it from the ground. "Koiru, you okay?" The Pokémon didn't respond. Himawari returned it to its ball.

"Aron!" Yurie yelled. The Pokémon turned and smiled at her. "You have to listen to me! Don't just go using moves without warning!" Aron looked down in shame.

"You wanna try one more time?" Himawari asked. His Raichu jumped forward and struck a battle pose.

Aron looked up at Yurie. "Are you going to listen to me?" Aron nodded slowly. "Okay, let's do this!"

"We're not gonna take it easy on you this time," Himawari exclaimed.

Logan laughed. "Yeah. Okay."

"Hikari, use Thunderbolt!" Himawari ordered.

Hikari jumped into the air and a strong surge of electric energy shot from her body.

"Protect!" Yurie directed. She gave a thumbs up to Logan's Mudkip.

Aron created an energy around him, and the electric attack bounced off of it. Aron then smiled at the Raichu. Hikari stamped her feet and readied her next attack.

"Hikari, let's use Electro Ball!"

Once again, the Raichu jumped into the air. She formed a ball of electric energy at the tip of her tail. With a swing of her body, she shot the ball downwards at Aron.

"Dodge it!" Yurie instructed.

Aron tried to move to the side, but he was too slow. The attack hit directly, but it didn't do much. Aron, not realizing that he had taken a hit, jumped to the side, completing the dodge.

"A little slow, but it's progress!" Yurie said. "Let's try Rock Slide!"

Aron gathered energy, and the ground below him began to shake. Rocks came from the earth, and they flew directly for Hikari.

"Climb them!"

The Raichu started to leap on the various rocks, managing to avoid getting hit by them.

"Iron Head!" Yurie directed.

Aron leapt into the air and smashed his head against the rock that Hikari was currently on. The rock shattered, and both Pokémon fell to the ground. Hikari quickly recovered, and Aron slowly rocked his body until he was back on his feet.

"Not bad for a coordinator," Himawari taunted. "Hikari, use Volt Tackle!"

"Um, Take Down!" Yurie said, unsure of what the move entailed.

Raichu started to run across the field, and her body became covered with a huge surge of electrical energy. Aron ran straight towards Hikari at a slower speed. He held his head down low. The two Pokémon collided, causing a small explosion of electricity. The smoke quickly settled, and only Aron remained standing. Himawari ran onto the field and lifted his Pokémon.

"This is exactly why I need more training," Himawari muttered. He looked up at Aron. "You're one tough Pokémon."

Yurie walked to Aron and pet his head. "I think that Aron has a lot of potential."

Logan stood up and met with them. "Well, that was entertaining, but I think we should try to fix this mess." He gestured at the battlefield, which was torn apart from Aron's Rock Slide attack.

"You're right. It doesn't exactly look good even with all of the pretty flowers around," Yurie agreed.

The three and their Pokémon cleaned up the battlefield. Once finished, they returned the Pokémon to their Poké Balls, and they started back on their journey once more. As the sunset, they arrived in Verdanturf Town, which was much quieter than any other place that they had been so far. It was tucked within the mountainside, and most of the people who were outside were older. The residents smiled at the group as they walked by, and Yurie and Himawari waved at them gleefully. Logan was too shy, but he smiled nonetheless. The group quickly found the Pokémon Center and rented a room.

"So, if you make it to the Battle Stage, you'll use Aron. But what about Minun? Do you have any ideas?" Logan asked Yurie. They were making dinner together. Logan was in charge of cutting potatoes.

"I think I have an idea. Minun knows Electro Ball, Swift, Helping Hand, and Spark. So far, I've gone for explosions and showering my Pokémon with sparkles. I think I want to try something different this time around," she said. "I think I'll train with Himawari tomorrow a bit more."

"And as for Aron, do you think he'll listen?"

Yurie grabbed the bowl of potatoes from Logan and dumped them in a pot. "I can't say. Have you ever had a Pokémon that was like this?"

"Maybe not exactly the same thing, but when I originally caught my Crabrawler, he would do whatever he wanted in battle for the longest time. I had no control, and it took a lot of work."

"What did you do to get him to listen?" Yurie asked.

"Well, I talked to him. I know that we don't truly understand what Pokémon say, and they don't understand everything that we say, but we still can understand one another. If you have a good talk with Aron and show that you're trying to understand him, then I think he'll come around."

Yurie smiled. I think I'll try that.

The two finished making dinner together, and the group all ate together. Logan and Yurie shared their Hoenn stories with Himawari, and he told them funny stories about his grandpa.

"He's 65 and still a gym leader?" Logan asked. "That's amazing. I'd love to still be training Pokémon at that age."

"What about your family, Logan? What do they do? Parents still Pokémon trainers?" Himawari asked. Yurie was shocked. She was yet to ask him about his family.

"My parents split when I was young, because my dad became is a gym leader and didn't have time for us, or so that's what I've been told. My mom, the last time that we spoke, worked as a nurse."

"Last time you spoke?" Yurie asked.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. I saw her when I was on my journey in Unova, but we've never been close. Don't get the wrong idea though. I still love my mom and my dad, but I haven't talked to either one of them in almost two years. Yurie?"

"Mama is a flower lady!" Yurie said with a smile.

"And your dad?" Himawari asked.

Yurie looked at her food. "Some people just don't know when to quit while they're ahead. That's all I want to say about papa."

The three finished their dinner. Logan and Himawari were quickly in their beds and fast asleep. Yurie took her Pokémon outside where it was quiet, and they gazed up at the sky.

"It's finally autumn," she said. "And tomorrow is a new contest!" The Pokémon stayed quiet. Minun huddled against Torchic for warmth. "And we'll do our best! I've got a lot planned tomorrow. Minun, you're gonna show off just how cute you are." She turned to Aron. "And Aron, we'll work together, right?"

Aron looked back at her. He smiled and nodded.

"I hope you really mean it this time," she murmured.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

So, with the exception of Raichu, I named Himawari's Pokémon after their Japanese names. I heard a story of a student whose name was Pikachu (yes really), and the Kanji that their parents game them for the name was the same Kanji as "Hikari" which means "light." Here's what it looks like: **光 ... **So, that's why I went with that name.

Sorry for the late-ish post. Been a busy summer break, so I haven't had time to write or post on time. I've actually been working on the ending to Healing in Hoenn. I'm currently deciding where I want the various characters to go next.

Question: If Logan gets to the Hoenn League, I'm of course going to write his battles, but would you also want to see his rivals and their various battles?


	19. Takoyaki

Chapter 19 - Takoyaki

* * *

"Welcome one and all to the Verdanturf Town Autumn Contest! This is the first contest of the season, and we're happy to be bringing it to you live from the quaint town of Verdanturf!" the announcer yelled while the crowd silently clapped.

Logan and Himawari looked around at the crowd.

"Is it just me or are most of the people here older?" Logan asked Himawari.

He nodded. "Yep. Grandmas and grandpas. Verdanturf is known as being the quietest town in Hoenn, so there are a lot of old people."

"The winner of this contest will be awarded this beautiful ribbon and will be one step closer to the Hoenn Grand Festival!" The announcer held up a green ribbon with silver trim.

"I'm gonna win that ribbon!" Yurie declared loudly. She looked around the room, noticing that around half of the other contestants were older. "I should probably try to keep it down."

"We'll start this off with the Performance Stage! Trainers, show us what you can do!"

One by one, the different trainers walked onto the stage, and they presented their Pokémon in various ways. The crowd reacted mildly every time.

"Kawahara Yurie, can you please come to the stage?" the announcer said. Yurie ran to the stage and took her position. She lifted her Poké Ball and tossed it into the air. Minun appeared and posed.

"Let's start with Electro Ball!" Yurie directed.

Minun jumped into the air and formed a ball of electric energy at her tail. She tossed the ball into the air and caught it. She landed back onto the stage and held the ball into the air.

"Throw it into the air, and use another Electro Ball!"

Minun tossed the ball straight into the air, and formed another Electro Ball at her tail. When the first Electro Ball fell, she caught it and held both of them in her hands.

"Now, let's begin!" Yurie said.

Minun began to toss the two balls into the air, catching and then tossing them one at a time.

"One more!" Yurie instructed.

Minun quickly created another ball and added it to the mix. After a few moments, she had created a total of five energy balls and was slowly juggling them into the air.

"I see what she's going for," Logan said. "It looks impressive, and it is, but because Minun can control the electricity, she can easily juggle the Electro Balls."

"And Minun looks adorable doing it!" Himawari added.

"Now, let's make a star!" Yurie directed.

Minun tossed the balls into the air, each of them going to different points on the stage.

"Swift!"

Minun opened her mouth and shot a barrage of stars. The stars started to stick to each other in the middle of the electric balls, and a giant singular star was formed. Minun jumped onto the star and posed. The crowd clapped.

"Amazing! Minun was able to show off its juggling talents alongside two of its moves! Not only that, but it looked cute doing it!" the announcer said.

Yurie bowed and then walked to the back. She watched the rest of the performers go and sat in silence. Minun waited with her, her eyes fixated on the screen. When the other trainers finished, the announcer walked onto the stage.

"Alright, everyone! The Performance Stage is finished, and now it's time to announce the coordinators that will be moving on! We've selected the four best!" She pointed to the screen and four silhouettes appeared.

"First is Watanabe Kenta from Verdanturf Town!" a picture of an old man appeared. "He'll be taking on Kawahara Yurie from Littleroot Town!" Yurie's picture appeared next to his, and Yurie jumped up and down in the back. "The second round battle will be between William Wilson from the Alola Region and Koyanagi Chihiro from the Johto Region! Things are going to heat up in this next round, but everyone please take a 15 minute break!"

"Think we can get some popcorn during the break?" Logan asked.

Himawari shook his head. "I don't think you're gonna find popcorn at a place like this. You go and give Yurie a pep talk! I'll go buy us some food, okay?" Logan nodded.

"So, everyone here is someone that you haven't faced yet," Logan said while he looked around the backroom. "One guy from the Alola Region too! That's interesting."

"Did you like my appeal?" Yurie asked.

"Of course I did! It was electrifying!" Logan replied with a laugh. "Are you ready for the Battle Stage though?"

Yurie looked at her Luxury Ball. "I hope so. I'm sure Aron can win no matter what we are up against!"

"No matter the results, you'll do great! And one thing to keep in mind is that you have a lot of time to earn your ribbons, so don't stress out!" Logan replied.

"Do you think I'm gonna lose?" Yurie asked. She glared at Logan.

"N-no, that's not what I meant," Logan stammered. "I'm just saying that you shouldn't stress out if something were to go wrong."

"It sounds like you think I was gonna lose or something," Yurie snapped back.

"No, I-"

"Just go to the stands."

"Uh, okay. I'm sorry." Logan turned and walked out of the room. "You can do it, Yurie."

* * *

"Alright, coordinators! It's time for the Battle Stage! Can we please have Kenta and Yurie come to the stage?" the announcer called.

Yurie and the old man started to walk down the hall together.

"This is so exciting," the old man said. He was very soft spoken. "It's my first contest, you know? Long time fan, but first time coordinator!"

"Oh really? I'm new too," Yurie replied.

"Let's do our best!"

"Everyone give a warm welcome to our coordinators!" the announcer told the crowd. They clapped.

Logan sat down next to Himawari. "Well, that didn't go well."

"Here," Himawari said while handing him a paper dish that resembled a boat. "It's takoyaki."

Logan looked at the food. It was six round balls of fried food with toothpicks sticking out of them. He took one and stuck it in his mouth. He winced. The flavor was sweet, but whatever was on the inside was too chewy.

"Is it good?"

"I don't know!"

"Alright, trainers! Let's begin!" the announcer said as the timer started and the point bars appeared.

"Go, Aron!"

"Good luck, Loudred!"

Both of the Pokémon appeared. Aron timidly looked at his opponent who glared back at the Steel-type with his mouth gaped wide open.

"Such a quiet town, but yet he uses the noisiest Pokémon alive," Himawari muttered.

"Loudred, Stomp," Kenta ordered.

Loudred ran forward. He leapt into the air and quickly fell back to the ground, bringing his foot down on Aron's head. Aron took the attack unflinchingly. He blinked at Loudred and then turned Yurie, waiting for direction.

"Oh wow. You really just took that, didn't ya?" Yurie asked. "Let's do Iron Head!"

Aron nodded. He took a step back and then shot forward, ramming his skull into Loudred. Loudred flew back multiple yards and then crashed into the ground.

"Loudred, are you okay?" Kenta asked. Loudred stood back up and gave his trainer a thumbs up. "Good! Let's keep a distance. Use Uproar!"

Loudred stamped his feet and then opened his mouth wide. Blue rings of energy started to flow from his mouth, along with a loud noise. The rings surrounded Aron, and the Steel-type winced. He held his head down.

"Take Down, Aron!" Yurie directed.

Aron nodded and started to run forward, fighting through the sound energy. He jumped and tackled into Loudred, stopping the Normal-type's attack.

"Don't give up, Loudred. Let's use Hyper Voice!"

Loudred took in a deep breath for a few seconds. He suddenly released a beam from his mouth that contained the same blue energy rings from before. The beam connected with Aron, making him fall back a few feet.

"Rock Slide!" Yurie instructed.

Using his energy, Aron began to make the ground shake. He pulled rocks from the ground and tossed them into the air. The rocks landed directly on the infuriated Loudred, instantly burying him. Loudred stirred about, moving a few of the rocks that were on top of him.

"Iron Head!" Yurie ordered.

Once again, Aron reeled back. He dashed forward and crashed into rocks and Loudred. Loudred collapsed and didn't move.

"It appears that we have a Battle Off!" the announcer yelled. "Yurie goes for pure strength this time around, and while it may not be pretty, it is effective!"

Yurie jumped up and down. "I did it! One down, one to-" She looked up at Aron who began to glow a bright white. "Aron?"

"He's evolving!" Logan said.

Aron's body began to grow and change. His once smooth body began jagged. The white energy disappeared and Aron had taken a new shape.

"Lairon!" it cried out.

"It looks like Aron has evolved into Lairon!" the announcer yelled. "It's a cherry on top of Yurie's victory!"

Yurie ran out onto the stage and gave Lairon a hug. "You've evolved! Now you're going to be even stronger!" Lairon glared at her. "I mean, you were strong before, but now you're just a bit stronger, ya know?" Lairon turned his head and looked at the unconscious Loudred.

"Let's move onto the next match!" the announcer said. Yurie took this as her cue. She returned Lairon to his Poké Ball and then walked to the back. She sat back and watched as the boy from Alola and the girl from the Johto region battled. The boy used purple bird Pokémon that appeared to have Japanese sensu for wings. It danced around its opponent, but wasn't enough for the Johto trainer's Pokémon which was small and green with flowers on its head. It erased all of its opponent's points by using an attack which implemented a flurry of leaves.

Yurie looked down at Lairon's Poké Ball. "We can do this! I know we can!"

"Our final round will be Kawahara Yurie vs. Koyanagi Chihiro! In the first round, Yurie and Aron were able to pull of a win with their unrelenting power, and Chihiro advanced with Bellossom and their stunning Grass-type attacks! We're sure to see two different styles in this upcoming battle! I'm excited, but we'll have to wait! We'll give our trainers a five minute break!"

"I'm a little worried," Logan said.

Himawari finished his takoyaki. "Yeah? Why?"

"Aron was already a bit problematic before. He would attack without warning and ignore Yurie's orders. I think it was always with good intentions though. He did it with a smile on his face."

"You don't think they'll be okay? Yurie said that she had a talk with Aron, so they should be on the same page."

Logan nodded. "That was true, but Aron evolved, and sometimes when Pokémon evolve, their personalities can change a little bit too. The core of Aron's personality will remain, but I am a little bit concerned."

"They'll be fine."

"Okay! That's time! Trainers, please make your way to the stage!"

Yurie and Chihiro ran to the stage. They both lifted their Poké Balls and waited for the announcer's signal.

"Begin!"

Both of them released their Pokémon. Lairon appeared and stamped his feet. He growled at Bellossom, who waved her body around. The leaves that formed her dress flowed with her movements.

"Lairon, let's use Iron Head!" Yurie ordered.

Lairon roared and the stage started to shake. Rocks lifted from the ground, and using his energy, Lairon tossed the rocks at Bellossom.

"Quiver Dance!" Chihiro ordered.

Bellossom began to move around quickly, and she easily avoided all of the falling rocks, leaving afterimages where she danced.

"Lairon, please listen!" Yurie said. Lairon turned and glared at her. He then turned back around and darted towards Bellossom.

"Dodge!" Chihiro said, but she was too slow.

Lairon smashed his body into the Grass-type. Bellossom winced and flipped backwards.

"She's lost control," Logan said.

"But she's winning!"

"If she can't keep control over Lairon, then she may very well run out of points," Logan exclaimed while pointing at the scoreboard. Yurie's points were lower than Chihiro's.

"Bellossom, use Petal Blizzard!"

Bellossom began to dance, and petals fell from the inside of her leaf skirt. Using energy, she controlled the petals and shot them at Lairon. Lairon stood still and took the hits. He brushed off the attack as though it did nothing though.

"Take Down!" Yurie ordered.

Lairon lowered his head and darted forward. He smashed his head into Bellossom once more, knocking the Grass-type back. Bellossom landed on her feet, but then fell to the ground. She winced from the pain but slowly stood back up again.

"I mean, it looked like Take Down," Yurie muttered. _He's not listening! What do I do?_

"Bellossom, are you okay?" Chihiro asked. Bellossom nodded but breathed heavily. "Let's do Leaf Storm!"

Bellossom slowly started to dance once again. Leaves appeared around her body, and she directed them towards Lairon. They circled around him, ready to deal a heavy blow.

"Protect!" Yurie yelled.

Using his energy, Lairon created a blue barrier around himself. The leaves moved to attack but were easily deflected. They fell to the ground weakly.

"He listened! Great, now let's do Iron Head!"

Lairon started to focus his energy and once again, the ground started to rumble. He tossed rocks into the air, and before Chihiro could make her next command, Bellossom was buried. Chihiro yelled, and then ran onto the field. She lifted one of the rocks off of Bellossom, revealing that her Pokémon had fainted.

"With that, it looks like we have our winner!" the announcer yelled. The crowd silently clapped.

"Kawahara Yurie wins the Verdanturf Town Autumn Ribbon with Brute Force," Yurie read from her PokéNav. "It really says that."

"I mean, there is a place in contests for powerful Pokémon, so it's not all a bad thing," Logan said.

"And a win is a win," Himawari added.

"You don't understand. Yui told me that I needed to be more elegant in how I go about contests, and somehow, I did the exact opposite of that," Yurie exclaimed. "And not just that, but I've lost control over Lairon. Maybe I'm not a good trainer afterall." She held her Luxury Ball tightly.

"To be fair, Lairon is a Steel-type, so battling with grace isn't necessarily easy," Himawari said. He folded his arms.

Logan leaned over, and he put his hand on Yurie's shoulder. "Yurie, we'll work together to improve. In time, you and Lairon will become a functioning team again, and then you can move onto making your battles elegant. For the time being though, let's work on getting Lairon to listen to you."

Yurie stood up. "I need to go for a walk. You two get some rest. I'll see you in the morning." With that, she left the room, leaving Logan and Himawari behind.

"Do you think we should go with her?" Himawari asked.

"No. She needs time to clear her head. Let's give her that."

* * *

The next morning, Logan woke up early. Yurie did not return the night previous. He quickly prepared his things and walked into the Pokémon Center lobby. Yurie was lying on one of the sofas. Torchic and Minun were cuddled up against her and sleeping. Logan sat in the chair next to her and smiled.

"You awake?" he asked.

"Yeah. The sofa isn't very comfortable," Yurie responded quietly. "But I forgot my room key, and I didn't want to wake you."

"How was last night?"

"We went to Rusturf Tunnel and trained for a bit. Lairon still won't listen, but I've decided not to give up on him. I'll make it work," she said. "The next time we're in a contest together, we'll be a true team."

"I'm happy to hear that. You'll do great things, Yurie."

"Thank you." She paused. "Where are you off to next?"

"The next gym is in Lavaridge. And you?"

"I think the contest I want to go to next is in Fallarbor Town."

Logan sat back in his chair. "Are those places next to each other?"

Yurie nodded.

"You wanna keep traveling together until then? I'd love to watch your next contest, and if we split up now, who knows where Himawari is going to go."

Yurie smiled. "That sounds nice."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Sort of a bittersweet victory for Yurie. I kind of enjoy stories that give the hero a win, but it comes with a price, so I think I'll mess around with that for a bit.

Next arc is going to be the desert. Also, I'm working on a little "movie" type story which takes place between chapters 20 and 21. It's canon to my stories, but it won't be added to this. It'll be its own thing.


	20. Rice Ball and Berries

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 20 - Rice Ball and Berries**

* * *

It had been a week since Yurie's contest. The three were now making their way through Route 111, and they were surrounded by mountain ranges. Occasionally, they would stop to rest or train their Pokémon. During one of these break periods, they ran into a family of Pokémon Trainers who challenged them all to battles. They let them stay at their house for the night as a prize for winning, but the group was off again in the morning.

"A dead end," Himawari said as the group came to a wall on their path. In between the rocky walls that surrounded them was a pile of boulders.

"Looks like a rock slide of some sort," Yurie noted. "What do you think we should do?"

"We gotta climb over them!" Himawari exclaimed.

Logan shook his head. "Our Pokémon are strong enough to smash through these boulders. Yurie, you should have Lairon use Iron Head."

Yurie pulled out her Luxury Ball and gazed at it. "Okay. Here goes nothing!" Lairon appeared in front of the group. He yawned and turned away from them. "Lairon, can you use your Iron Head on those boulders over there?"

Lairon looked at the boulders and then huffed.

"Still not listening, eh?" Himawari murmured.

Logan bent over towards Lairon. "If you listen to Yurie, I'll give you some special food I've made just for you!" He wafted the scent of his special spices toward Lairon. The Steel-type grinned and then faced the stones. He darted forward and destroyed them completely with one hit.

Logan grinned, and Yurie handed him a rice ball. He sprinkled some of the spice onto it and tossed it at Lairon. Lairon jumped into the air and caught it with his mouth. He ate it quickly, and Yurie returned him to the Luxury Ball.

"Baby steps," Logan said with a grin. Yurie did not respond.

"So, we have two options to get to Fallarbor Town," Himawari said. "There is the long way, which is through Route 112 and the mountains, or the short way, which is through the desert. They both have their ups and downs."

"Which way do you want to take?" Logan asked.

Yurie pulled out her PokéNav and checked the map. "If the plan is to go to Lavaridge Town first, then maybe we should go through the mountains. But my contest is only two weeks away, and I'm not sure if we'd make it in time if we stopped at Lavaridge."

"Then let's go through the desert first! Should take us only about a day to get through," Logan said. "We have more than enough food to get us through there."

The three trainers continued on their path until they reached the edge of the desert. Sand blew around for as far as the could see.

"A bit dangerous, don't you think?" Himawari said.

"_Soune_," Yurie mumbled.

Logan nodded. "It may not be ideal for us to take the desert in this case."

"But my contest…"

A voice suddenly called from the side. "You guys want to go through the desert?" The group turned to find a boy, roughly the same age as Logan and Himawari, standing to their side. He had straight lengthy brown hair, wore black skinny jeans, and a red shirt with erratic star patterns all over it. His skin was white, almost pale, and he had brown eyes.

"Finn?" Logan wondered out loud. "Holy! Finn, it is you!" He ran and gave the boy a hug. "It's been awhile!"

"Who is this?" Yurie asked.

"This is Finn! We battled each other in the Alola League! He's one of my best friends," he explained. "What are you doing in Hoenn?"

"Figured I'd give Hoenn a go. Couldn't hurt, ya know?" Finn answered. "These your new traveling buddies?"

"We're traveling together for a bit," Logan said. "This is Yurie and Himawari. Yurie's a coordinator!"

Himawari stepped forward. "And I'm a real strong trainer."

"What about Luna?"

"...She's doing her own thing now," Logan responded. He bit his bottom lip.

"I see. So, the desert?" Finn said while pointing at the sandstorm. "You guys going through?"

"We want to, but it looks dangerous," Himawari said.

Finn nodded. "It isn't too bad honestly. You just need some Go-Goggles to keep your eyes safe."

"Go-what?" the three asked in unison.

"Go-Goggles!" Finn said. He reached into his bag and pulled out a pair of goggles. "They keep your eyes safe, and you look stylish! I'm selling them on commission!"

"New part-time job?" Logan asked.

"Yeah! I'm not the best at Pokemon battling, so I gotta make money somehow. But I'll give you a discount if you want," he said while pulling out three pairs. "I got yellow, blue, and red."

Logan laughed. "Finn's from Galar. He's kind of a genius in his own special way."

The three bought their Go-Goggles at a nice discount, and they each tried them on.

"You look snazzy!" Finn said while he took a picture. He had to prove that he actually was able to sell them. "I'd go through the desert with you guys, but I honestly don't want to."

Logan laughed. "I assume you're taking on gyms while you're here?"

"Yep! Already have four gym badges! I'm off to Mauville for my fifth!"

"Good luck, Finn!" Logan said. They shook hands. "Let's both get to the Hoenn Conference!"

"You got it!" he replied with a grin. "I'll see you guys later!"

Finn walked away, and the other three looked back into the sandstorm once more. They had no idea what was ahead of them.

* * *

"So… much… sand…" Himawari groaned while he dragged his feet through the desert. "We should have gone the long way!"

"You wanted to go on an adventure, Himawari. You have no one else to blame but yourself for this one," Logan laughed. He and Yurie returned Mightyena and Torchic to their Poké Balls. They were outside Pokémon, but they did not make Go-Goggles for Pokémon.

"I don't actually mind the sand, but it is going to make eating lunch difficult," Yurie said.

"We'll find a place to set up a camp, and we'll eat there!" Logan replied. Suddenly, a figure came flying from the sky, and it knocked over Logan.

"Logan! Are you okay?" Yurie screamed.

Logan spit sand out and tried to stand back up, but he was knocked down once more.

"I think it's a Pokémon!" Himawari said. "I'd battle, but my Electric-types would be weak in the sand."

"Use your Magnemite. A Steel-type is unaffected by sandstorm conditions," Logan said.

Himawari nodded. He pulled out his Poké Ball, but before he could release Magnemite, the figure swooped from above and knocked him over unconscious.

"That's not good," Logan muttered. He stood back up, put Magnemite's Poké Ball back onto Himawari's belt, and then he tried to pick up his friend.

"Should I use Lairon?" Yurie asked.

"We run a few risks if we do that. There's the chance that Lairon won't listen to you, and if he runs off for whatever reason, we won't be able to find him in this storm," he said. "Our best chance right now is to retreat." He lifted Himawari, and they began to run away.

The figure came down once more, but Logan was ready. He leapt into the air, avoiding the Pokémon completely. He landed hard though and winced.

"You okay?" Yurie asked.

"Himawari is heavier than he looks," he replied. "I think I got a look at the Pokémon just now. I think that whatever it is, it's a Bug-type."

The figure turned around and darted towards them once more.

"That's enough!" Yurie yelled. She tossed Lairon's Luxury Ball into the air, and he appeared. He yawned. "Iron Head!"

Lairon turned back to Yurie and glared. The figure from above crashed into him, knocking the Steel-type back a few feet. He regained his footing and then started to look frantically for the source.

"Focus, Lairon!" Yurie ordered.

Lairon started to use his energy and the ground began to shake. He lifted rocks from under the ground and tossed them haphazardly. Logan and Yurie dodged stones that fell towards them.

The figure dodged all of the stones, and suddenly a blue fire burst from his mouth, connecting directly with Lairon.

"That was Dragon Breath," Logan noted. He put Himawari down and grabbed his Poké Ball. "I'm sorry, buddy. I'll make it up to you, but I need you right now." He tossed the Poké Ball into the air, and Mudkip appeared. Mudkip immediately closed his eyes because of the sandstorm.

"What are you doing?" Yurie asked.

"I'm taking a chance on a hunch that I have," he replied. "Mudkip, wait for our buddy to get close and then use Water Gun!"

Mudkip nodded. He forced one eye open and looked around. When the Pokémon started to get close, Mudkip prepared to attack. A stream of water burst from his mouth and connected with the Pokémon. It fell from the sky and crashed hard into the ground.

Logan pulled out an orange and red Poké Ball. He tossed it at the downed Pokémon, and it was absorbed. The ball rocked back and forth for a few moments before letting out a soft ding. It had been caught.

"Yes!" Logan yelled. He returned Mudkip back to his ball and then ran out to grab the Poké Ball.

"What kind of Pokémon is it?" Yurie asked.

Logan pushed the Poké Ball's button, releasing his newly caught Pokémon. A small yellow Pokémon with green wings appeared. It looked around, and when it saw Logan, it sighed.

"Vibrava, the Vibration Pokémon. Vibrava's wings have not yet completed the process of growing. Rather than flying long distances, they are more useful for generating ultrasonic waves by vibrating. To make prey faint, Vibrava generates ultrasonic waves by vigorously making its two wings vibrate. This Pokémon's ultrasonic waves are so powerful, they can bring on headaches in people," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"It's kind of cute," Yurie said.

Logan leaned down and pet Vibrava's head. "I've wanted a Vibrava for a very long time, actually. I heard they were mostly found in Hoenn, but I guess we got lucky today. As soon as I saw Dragon Breath, I figured out what we were up against. I used my Fast Ball to catch it."

"My Pokédex says that Vibrava is a female. The more I look, the cuter she appears!" Yurie said. "Don't you think so, Lairon?" She turned, but Lairon was suddenly gone. "Lairon?"

"What's wrong?" Logan asked. He looked around. "Where's Lairon?"

"He's gone! He disappeared!" Yurie yelled. "Where did you go, Lairon?!"

* * *

The two trainers walked through the desert, looking for Lairon. Logan lugged Himawari on his back while Yurie frantically looked everywhere that she could.

"Lairon! Lairon!" she yelled. "Lairon, where are you?!"

"You're walking really fast," Logan said. "And Himawari is so heavy."

"I knew it… I knew that I couldn't train Lairon…" Yurie muttered. She dropped to her knees. "I knew it…"

"Don't give up!" Logan said. "We can find him. I won't stop looking until we do!"

Himawari began to stir. He groaned and slowly opened his eyes. "You two are making a lot of noise." Logan dropped him. "Ack! What was that for?"

"Why'd you have to go and get yourself knocked out?" Logan snapped.

"Wait, what happened? Did we win?" Himawari asked while turning his head, looking for the Pokémon.

"I caught it! It was a Vibrava!" Logan said. "But in the process, we lost Lairon."

"Poor guy's probably terrified," Himawari muttered. He looked over at Yurie. "C'mon, Yurie! We'll find him!"

"What's the point? Lairon chose to leave. He doesn't want me as a trainer," Yurie said. She dug her hands in the dirt.

"We shouldn't give up," Logan replied. He pulled out his Fast Ball. "Himawari, let's have my new Vibrava and your Magnemite to search the air. They'll be fine in the sandstorm."

Himawari nodded. They both released their Pokémon. "Koiru, search for Lairon. If you find him, report back immediately."

"And please hurry," Logan told Vibrava.

The two Pokémon were off into the sky.

"Let's not give up, Yurie," Logan said. He leaned over and put his hand on her shoulder. "We'll find him."

"You're right," she replied. She stood back up. "We'll find him!"

* * *

The three continued their search for a few more hours, but they found nothing. Magnemite returned but with no good news.

"I'm starting to think this is pointless," Himawari murmured quietly.

Suddenly, Vibrava flew down from the sky. She landed in front of Logan and smiled.

"Did you find anything?" Logan asked. Vibrava nodded. She jumped and started to fly once more.

"Let's follow!" Yurie said.

The three chased after Vibrava, and after about thirty minutes, they came to a part of the desert where the wind didn't blow and it was quiet. There was a gathering of various Pokémon who all looked frightened by the appearance of the trainers, but Vibrava seemed to indicate that they were safe. In the middle of the group of Pokémon sat Lairon, who was eating berries.

"Lairon!" Yurie screamed happily. She ran to Lairon and gave him a hug. The Pokémon huffed and continued to eat his food.

"Maybe Lairon just wanted to get out of the storm?" Logan said with a grin.

"Or he was hungry!" Himawari added.

"I'm so happy I found you, Lairon," Yurie said. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Please don't run away like that again." Lairon looked up. He quietly chewed his berry.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

A bit of a shorter chapter. This was originally just gonna focus on Logan capturing Vibrava, but I saw the opportunity to mess with the Lairon story a bit more. I'm not quite sure what the next chapter will be in all honesty. The next big event (in this story) will be the Fallarbor Contest.

However, I'm gonna start posting the chapters from my "movie" this week. I've split it up into five parts, but I'll try to get it all posted within two weeks. It takes place almost directly after this chapter and right before the next, so I recommend giving it a read (it's canon!).


	21. Seki Saba

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

So, I wanted to do something before I start this chapter, because this is sort of the start of the "second arc" in Healing in Hoenn. For this chapter, and chapter 41, I want to list the main characters and their Pokemon. I don't want to do this at the beginning of every chapter, because that's a hassle. Anyways, here ya go.

**Logan Stephenson - Five badges**

Mightyena (between levels 25 - 30)

Mudkip (between levels 25 - 30)

Vigoroth (between levels 25 - 30)

Electrike (between levels 20 - 25)

Vibrava (between levels 35-40)

**Yurie Kawahara - Two ribbons**

Torchic (between levels 20 - 25)

Masquerain (between levels 25 - 30)

Lairon (between levels 35 - 40)

Minun (between levels 20 - 25)

**Himawari Watson**

Kolink (Shinx) (Between levels 40 - 45)

Koiru (Magnemite) (Between levels 25 - 30)

Hikari (Raichu) (Between levels 35 - 40)

**Chapter 21 - Seki Saba**

* * *

After the group's adventures in the desert had come to an end, it was time for them to move on. Yurie's contest was only a week away, and she wanted to practice with her Pokémon as much as she could beforehand. But for the time being, the group found themselves on Route 113. Ash fell from the sky, getting on the trainers' clothes. Torchic and Mightyena played in the long grass, sending more ash flying in a flurry into the air.

"First the desert and now this!" Yurie yelled while she wiped ash off of her yellow tank top. "This adventuring thing isn't very fun!"

"Yeah. I'm not really in the mood to do laundry every time we get to a Pokémon Center," Himawari added.

Logan grinned. "All just par for the course, my friends! But trust me, it's moments like these that make you appreciate how nice a hot bath can be!"

"I hate how optimistic you are," Himawari murmured.

"Torchic!" Yurie's Pokémon suddenly cried.

"What is it Torchic?" Yurie asked worriedly. She ran through the tall grass and looked for her Pokémon. When she found him, Torchic was face to face with another small Pokémon. This one blue. "Piplup?"

"Yurie?" a familiar voice called. The group looked up to find Michika, her face dirty with ash. She smiled. "It's so nice to see you again!"

"Michika!" Yurie said. She stepped forward and gave her friend a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you the same thing!" Michika said. "But I'm on my way to Fallarbor Town for the contest!"

Yurie stepped back. "Oh. I see. Me too!"

"Looks like we'll be competing against one another again! I saw that you won your last contest, so that gives you two ribbons?"

Yurie nodded. "It didn't go exactly how I planned, but a win is a win, I guess."

"Who is this?" Himawari asked.

"Michika! She's my contest rival and friend!"

"Wow! It looks like cute girls make cute rivals!" Himawari said with a grin. He held out his hand, but Michika ignored it.

"How many ribbons are you at?" Yurie asked.

"I'm already at three! I'm hoping to make this my fourth!"

"Why don't we go to Fallarbor together?" Logan suggested. He looked down at Piplup and Torchic. "It'd give us time to catch up."

The group made it to Fallarbor by nightfall, and they quickly found the Pokémon Center in the small town. Fallarbor was a quiet place nestled in between two mountains. The land was dry throughout and not a single tree or flower bloomed.

When they arrived at the Pokémon Center, they split into groups and went to their respective baths to get cleaned.

"So, you're still traveling with Logan?" Michika asked. "I bet you've learned a lot from him!"

Yurie nodded and sank her body up to her chin down into the hot water. "He's been fun to travel with. And Himawari has sort of tagged along too."

"I wish I could travel with someone! But isn't it weird traveling with a boy?"

Yurie shook her head. "No. I think it's okay. We support each other!"

"I'm so jealous of you, Yurie! I'll find a traveling buddy too!"

Back in the boys bathroom, Himawari entered into the giant bath and swam to the side with the jets. "This is so nice!" He yelled. He looked up at Logan who looked uncomfortable. He daintily held his towel over his body. "What's wrong, dude?"

"I just think it's embarrassing to take a bath together," Logan said. "I don't want you to look at me."

Himawari laughed. "You people from Unova! It's not embarrassing here, ya know! What's embarrassing is standing out of the bath and looking unsure of yourself!"

Logan stepped into the bath and quickly hid himself under the water.

"You know, there's a saying in Hoenn! It goes, 'let's bath together with smiles on our faces,' so get to smiling, dude!"

"There's not a chance that's a real phrase. You made that up!"

"Maybe I did!" Himawari said with a laugh. "So, what do you think of Michika?"

"She's a really good coordinator. I think you'll be really impressed," Logan replied.

"That's not what I mean, dude. You're pretty dense, man."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do you think she's cute? You're clearly not into Yurie, so I'm wondering if maybe Michika is more your type."

"My type?"

"Yeah! Do you see yourself liking Michika?"

"I-uh-she's not bad, I guess. What are you getting at?"

"You're being difficult."

The group all finished their baths, changed into their pajamas, and when Logan and Himawari returned to the room, Yurie and Michika had laid out numerous fruit drinks on the table in the middle of the room.

"We decided that since we're finally out of the desert and that we've reunited with Michika, we should have a small party!" Yurie declared. "So, I bought a bunch of drinks from the vending machine!"

"But vending machine food is bad?" Logan wondered. Yurie playfully smacked him on the arm.

Himawari sat down and opened up a can of green soda. "Well, let's enjoy this while we can! Are you two going to train tomorrow?"

Michika nodded. "Yes! I recently got a new Pokémon, and I want to train with it a lot!"

"And I should continue working with Lairon," Yurie said.

"In that case, we should divide up into two groups tomorrow. One of you can train with me and the other can train with Logan. I need more experience battling as it is," Himawari said. He winked at Logan.

"We still have a couple days left too, so we should definitely eat some of Fallarbor's best food!" Michika said. She flipped open a book. "Like Seki Saba!"

"Seki Saba sounds so good!" Yurie screamed.

Himawari turned to Logan. "I was trying to get your private time with Michika, but it looks like I failed, dude."

"Please stop."

The four continued their little party into the night, and they all slept on the floor. Michika and Yurie woke up early like usual and prepared a simple breakfast for everyone. Logan and Himawari woke up, ate breakfast, and then cleaned the dishes. They all changed into new clothes and prepared for the new day.

As it was getting cooler, Logan felt comfortable enough to replace his usual sleeveless shirt with a dark blue t-shirt. He kept on his white shorts, and even though his thick dark brown hair made wearing his black hat uncomfortable at times, he continued to wear it to make Yurie happy. Yurie also changed and now wore a short-sleeved white shirt with a yellow skirt that went past her knee. She pulled her black hair into a ponytail and using a flower-shaped pin, she kept her bangs out of her eyes. Himawari did not change much. He kept his black pants, but replaced his black shirt with a white one. After looking at himself in the mirror for awhile, he decided that the white shirt did not match his bleach blonde hair and went back to black. Michika now wore a light blue short skirt and a black top. Yurie gifted her a few of her flower pins, and she used them to put back her short black hair.

Himawari had persuaded the girls to start training more. He and Yurie decided to train at the Pokémon Center while Logan and Michika had to look for someplace else.

* * *

"It's so hot!" Logan yelled. "Why is Hoenn so hot! Isn't it supposed to be autumn?!"

Michika nodded while rubbing a towel against her face. "Compared to Sinnoh, this is too much!"

"It's cooler in Sinnoh?"

"It's so much cooler!"

"Sounds like my kind of place."

The two laughed.

* * *

"Okay, Yurie. So, what Pokémon do you plan on using this time around?" Himawari asked as he shoved cinnamon bread into his mouth. "Personally, I think it may be too early for you to use Lairon again."

The Steel-type shot a look at Himawari, and the blonde trainer backed up a few feet.

"I haven't had a lot of experience with Minun yet, so I definitely want to battle alongside her more. We can practice with your Hikari!"

Himawari's Raichu cheered.

"And for the Performance Stage?"

Yurie looked at her Pokémon closely. Lairon avoided her gaze.

"Masquerain! We're gonna work on something together!" Yurie said. Masquerain floated around happily.

Lairon groaned. He walked to the side of the courtyard and laid down.

"We'll work on Lairon later on," Yurie whispered to Torchic.

"Okay! First, let's practice with Minun!" Himawari declared.

Minun ran out onto the courtyard battlefield and posed.

"When I was with gramps, I've picked up a few techniques that we can use. I think we should try to teach Minun something," Himawari said.

"Anything to make Minun stronger! Let's do it!" Yurie said.

* * *

Logan and Michika found a cave entrance near the outskirts of Fallarbor Town. Inside the cave, it was nice and cool, so they decided to make it the area where they'd train.

"So, everyone has a weakness," Logan said. "When it comes to contests, what do you think is your weakness?"

Michika put her finger to her lips. "Well, if I really have to say, it'd probably be battling. Two out of my three contests, I've used Piplup, and I think that we work really well together. My other contest, I got lucky with typing, but we weren't exactly synchronized."

"Would you want to try sparring with me?" Logan asked.

Michika looked unsure.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, it's not that I don't trust you! But you're Yurie's friend, so you'll probably share all of my secrets if we battle!"

"What? No! I mean, if she asked, I _could_ give her a hint, but that'd be unfair. Also, I know Yurie, and she won't ask."

Michika held out her pinky. "Promise me! Promise me that you won't share my secret!"

Logan looked at her pinky. He sighed. "I don't like pinky promises, but I promise you." He ran his finger over his chest. "Cross my heart."

Michika looked at her pinky and then withdrew her hand. "I guess people from Unova don't do pinky promises!"

Logan did not respond.

"Okay, so let's do some sparring!" Michika said. "I'll show you my Pokémon!" She threw three Poké Balls into the air. Once her Pokémon appeared, Piplup ran from her side to join them. "Everyone, this is Logan! Logan, this is Pachirisu, Absol, and Chimecho!"

The small white and blue Pokémon ran to Mightyena. Mightyena sniffed at it, but once he got too close, it released a small spark of electricity, startling the Dark-type. The bigger white and black Pokémon stretched its body before lying down, and the last Pokémon, a bell with a long body hanging below its head, floated in the air and smiled.

"Which Pokémon will you be battling with?" Logan asked.

Michika motioned towards the white Pokémon. "Absol!"

"Looks strong!"

"She is!"

"And for your Performance Stage?"

Michika pointed at the small white and blue creature that taunted Mightyena. "Pachirisu!"

"Sounds good! Do you want to start off with some sparring?" Logan asked while he grabbed an orange and red Poké Ball.

"Yeah! Absol, let's do this!" Michika said. The Absol slowly stood back up. She yawned. "Let's get more genki, Absol!"

* * *

"Iron Tail!" Himawari ordered.

Raichu swung her long tail as it started to glow white.

"Jump!"

Minun leapt into the air, easily avoiding the attack.

"Electro Ball!" she directed.

Minun flipped and a ball of electric energy formed at her tail. She flung the ball at Raichu, connecting directly. Raichu fell back, but quickly recovered.

"Now, let's try Shock Wave!" Yurie said.

Minun landed back on the ground. She took in a deep breath and tried to use the attack, but nothing happened. Everyone went quiet.

"Well, it looks like we need a bit more practice," Himawari said. "How about we take a small break?" he suggested. Yurie nodded.

The two trainers gathered their Pokémon, and they went to the picnic table together. Yurie gave the Pokémon food while Himawari prepared lunch for the two trainers. They sat down and began to eat.

"You have a week, so don't worry too much!" Himawari said. "It is a hard move to use!"

"We'll practice it a lot, and we'll get it down!" Yurie said with a smile. "Maybe tomorrow, I'll train with Logan for a bit."

Himawari frowned. "Logan? Why do you want to train with him? I think we should let him and Michika train together."

"Why? I like training with Logan. He's been training with me since I started, so it feels familiar," Yurie said.

Himawari smirked. "I just think that there's a _thing _between the two of them, that's all."

"A thing?"

"A thing!"

"What kind of thing? Why do you think this?" Yurie asked quickly.

"It's in their eyes! You can tell!"

Yurie thought for a second. "Really? I don't see it."

Himawari sighed. "Maybe you just don't understand love, Yurie! And it's not like Logan is into you. You two have been traveling together for a couple of months now, and he hasn't made a move yet."

"I-I mean. He's a gentleman!"

Himawari laughed. "What? Do you like him?"

"No! He's just a friend!" Yurie yelled.

"Then, maybe we should let him and Michika do their thing?"

"What thing?!"

* * *

"Vibrava, use Dragon Breath!" Logan ordered.

Vibrava flew into the air and swooped towards Absol. A stream of blue fire burst from her mouth.

"Dodge, and then use Razor Wind!" Michika directed.

Absol jumped to the side and started to store energy in her horn. With a flick of her head, she sent energy filled with wind towards Vibrava. The attack connected, making Vibrava fall from the air.

"You're really good!" Logan said.

Michika nodded. "Thank you! I'm doing my best! This is the most insync I've ever been with Absol!"

"Bring all you got! Vibrava, Dig!"

Vibrava started hacking away at the ground and soon dug a hole. She had disappeared within seconds.

"Be alert, Absol! Vibrava could come from anywhere!"

The Pokémon started to slowly look around. She calmly rubbed her paws against the ground and closed her eyes. Vibrava suddenly burst from the ground directly behind Absol, but Michika and Absol were ready.

"Night Slash!"

Absol quickly turned around and slashed at Vibrava. Vibrava was thrown afar by dark energy. She landed on the ground with a hard thud, and Logan called it.

"It looks like you've won," he said while he ran to his Pokémon. "You did good, Vibrava! It was a fun first battle!"

Michika pet Absol on the head. "We're finally starting to work well together!" She fed Absol a small pink treat.

"All it takes is a little bit of time!" Logan said.

"How is Yurie coming along?" Michika asked. "I know that when we first met she wasn't too interested in contests and battling, so I'm curious as to how much she's improved."

Logan smiled. "She's getting a lot better! She still doesn't necessarily know about type match-ups… or really what types are in general, but she's improving! Her battle techniques are generally pretty good."

"I read in the news that she won her last contest without breaking a sweat. Her Lairon was dominant!"

"Maybe don't bring that up to her," Logan replied.

"I hope we can battle again this time! But I also want to win! And I want her to win too! I'm so conflicted!" Michika said.

Logan laughed. "Imagine how Himawari and I will feel up in the stands! We won't know who to cheer for!"

"You'll definitely cheer for Yurie."

"I'll try to cheer for both of you! You both deserve to win!"

"Thank you! Mind another quick battle?" she asked. She turned to Absol. "I think we have one more in us!"

"Sounds good to me!"

Everyone soon finished their training, and they met back up at the Pokémon Center lobby at night time. They all ate together at one of the nearby local restaurants. Michika and Yurie rejoiced at how delicious the food was. Once they returned to the Pokémon Center, they each showered and then went to their room. Everyone laid down, and within a few minutes, Himawari and Michika were fast asleep. Yurie chose the bunk above Logan's bed. When it got quiet, she started to stir. She slowly peeked down to check if he was sleeping. Her eyes met his, and she retreated.

"Awake?" Logan whispered.

"I have a lot on my mind," she replied.

Logan chuckled. "Me too."

There was silence for awhile.

"Wanna talk about it?" Logan asked.

Yurie took her time before answering. She pulled the blanket over her head.

"Maybe tomorrow."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I'll be honest, this chapter took me a long time to write. I'm not sure why. It could be that I didn't really have a lot of plans for it, but in the end, I decided to make it a bit more about character development. This story will sort of have "lovey" undertones, and it'll kind of focus on the relationship between Yurie and Logan. In a few chapters, we'll more into Logan's past and why exactly he came to Hoenn. Next chapter is the contest though.

Quick question/game. So, I gave the list of Pokemon that the group currently has. What do you see the final team of each character being? For example, will Mudkip evolve all the way? Logan still has his 6th slot open. Who do you think will join his team? Just curious to what my readers see in the future.


	22. Unova Dog

**Chapter 22 - Unova Dog**

* * *

"Welcome one and all to the Fallarbor Town Autumn Contest!" the announcer said into the mic. "It's this time of year that the tension starts to really heat up! We're sure to really see hot battles today! Don't blink, or you could miss it!"

"I think I'm more nervous about this one than any of the other contests I've been in," Yurie said. She sat down and began to fiddle with her hands. She had pulled her dark brown hair back into a ponytail and changed into a light blue dress.

"Why?" Michika asked. She sat down next to Yurie and put her arm around Yurie's shoulder. She had also changed but into a white dress with a black sash.

"The first contest, I didn't care if I won or not. It was just something fun to do. And in my second and third contests, I competed alone," Yurie said. "But this time, I'm competing against you again, and I'm uneasy."

"I know what you mean! But let's do our best!"

"Trainers, we'll start with our regular Performance Stage! One by one the coordinators will try to dazzle you with their Pokémon's beautiful attacks, and only the top four will make it to the next round!" the announcer explained. "Are you ready?" The crowd cheered loudly. "Alright! Today, we'll start with Kawahara Yurie from Littleroot Town! Little Ms. Yurie, c'mon down!"

"I'm first?" Yurie screamed. "I'm not ready!"

Michika stood up and pulled Yurie with her. "You're gonna go out there, and you're gonna do great! Remember, right now, we're not competing against one another! You just go out and do your best!"

Yurie nodded. She tightly gripped her Poké Ball and walked down the hallway. With every step, she took in a deep breath. Once she reached the stage, the crowd loudly cheered.

"Yurie, please begin!" the announcer said.

With one more deep breath, Yurie opened her eyes and smiled. "Alright, Masquerain, let's do this!" Masquerain burst from her Poké Ball and expanded her wings. She fluttered steadily in the middle of the air.

"Start with Bubble Beam!"

Masquerain soared into the air and used her move. She created bubbles which followed in her path, creating a long vertical straight line in the middle of the air.

"Good, now two more on the right!" Yurie said.

Masquerain stopped blowing her bubbles and flew to the right of the big line. She created two smaller lines that were oblique to the first. The lines met in the middle.

"One more, and make this one have an angle!"

Masquerain floated to the other side of the big line, and she started to blow bubbles once again. This line was also small, but it curved and did not connect with the original big line.

"Show 'em what you did!" Yurie directed.

Masquerain flew out in front of the crowd and smiled. The crowd looked up at the imagine, and most of the people began to loudly cheer.

"That's amazing!" Himawari said while clapping.

"What? What? I don't get it!" Logan exclaimed. "What is it?"

"It looks like Yurie has shown off Masquerain's calligraphy skills! For those who may be watching at home, Masquerain has just created the kanji character for 'water' by using its bubbles! Truly amazing!" the announcer screamed.

"So, it drew a symbol?" Logan asked.

"Not a symbol, but a character! It's like the alphabet, but a lot more complex," Himawari explained.

"Oh. Well, I guess that is pretty cool!"

Yurie bowed with Masquerain, and the two went back to the locker room. Michika was waiting for her, and they high fived.

"That was wonderful! I'm not sure if I can top it," Michika said.

Yurie raised her finger. "It's not about topping me! It's just about getting to the top four!"

Michika smiled and nodded.

More coordinators took their turns and showed off their Pokémon until Michika's name was called. She gleefully ran to the stage.

"Here is Imamura Michika from Sinnoh! Show us what you got!" the announcer said.

Michika turned and tossing her Poké Ball onto the stage. Pachirisu appeared and smiled at the crowd.

"Pachirisu, use Electro Ball!"

Pachirisu jumped and formed an electric ball of energy at the tip of her tail. She launched it far into the air.

"Thunderbolt!"

Pachirisu unleashed a strong electric surge from her body. The surge connected directly with the ball of energy, and it began to grow in size.

Michika watched it closely, and when it was just right, she made her next move. "Super Fang!"

Pachirisu stopped her attack and then jumped towards the energy ball. She gaped over her mouth, and then bit into the ball. It immediately exploded, making electric fire works softly blow up in the air. Pachirisu fell back down and landed on Michika's shoulder.

"Amazing!" the announcer yelled. "Such a little Pokémon, but we get to see a giant display of energy! And what power!"

Michika bowed and she ran to the back where she met Yurie. They exchanged high fives and then sat down next to each other. They watched as the other trainers performed. During especially good performances, Yurie squeezed Michika's hand tightly. After the last appeal finished, the announcer called for the trainer's attention to the screen.

"Okay, coordinators! Everyone did well today, but we must now announce our top four! First, from Littleroot Town is Kawahara Yurie!"

Yurie shot up and held her hands up high. "Yes! I did it!"

"Second is Shiota Katsuo from Sootopolis City!"

A good-looking teenage boy with long black hair smiled. His eyes met Yurie's, and she blushed. She focused back onto the screen.

"Next is Jonathon Erikson from Unova!"

A chunky boy with bright red hair jumped up and down. He hugged a purple Pokémon with a swirly tail. "We did it, Grumpig!"

"And last but not least!" the announcer said. There was a drumroll while the screen panned over the last silhouette. The picture became clear. "Imamura Michika from Sinnoh!"

Michika released her breath and sighed. "I did it…"

Yurie hugged her. "It looks like I'll be seeing you in the finals!"

"Don't be so sure of that," the teenage boy with long black hair said. He smiled. "You'll have to beat me first, and I'm no pushover."

"Coordinators, please take a 15 minute break! We will start with Yurie vs. Katsuo!" the announcer said.

"You should start preparing your things to leave," the boy said. He snickered and then walked out into the hallway.

"It looks like both could face off in the finals again. That'd be fun to watch," Logan said.

Himawari stood up. "You want anything to eat?"

"Yeah! Sounds good, but please not what you got us last time."

With that Himawari left. Logan turned to Mightyena. "People are gonna be in for a surprise with Michika's Pokémon, don't ya think?"

Mightyena barked quietly.

The 15 minutes quickly passed by, and Yurie and Katsuo made their way to the stage.

"Trainers, this is the Battle Stage! You will be given 5 minutes. You must either deplete your opponent's points, defeat their Pokémon, or have more points when the time runs out. Begin!" the announcer said and the timer began to countdown.

"Minun, let's do it!" Yurie called while tossing her Poké Ball onto the field. Minun appeared and jumped around with a smile on her face.

"Medicham, it's on you!" Katsuo said while releasing his Pokémon. A tall Pokémon appeared and stood very still. He looked up at Minun, who was immediately intimidated. "You're about to bear witness to the grace of my Medicham."

"We'll be fine!" Yurie said. "Minun, use Electro Ball!"

"Force Palm!"

The two Pokémon leapt into the air and unleashed their attacks. The energy collided in the middle of the battlefield and exploded.

"Use Swift!" Yurie ordered.

Minun opened her mouth, and she shot a flurry of stars. The stars moved too quick for Katsuo to make a call, and Medicham was pelted repeatedly.

"High Jump Kick!"

Medicham fought through the pain and leapt into the air. He stuck out his leg and kicked Minun directly in the chest. Minun flew back into the wall behind Yurie, but she stood right back up and ran back onto the field.

"Fire Punch!"

As soon as Medicham landed back onto the field, he twisted his body and jabbed at Minun. The punch landed directly and sent Minun into the air.

"Minun!" Yurie yelled.

"Force Palm!"

Medicham focused his energy and shot another Force Palm directly at the airborne Minun.

"Use Swift!"

Minun shot her stars from her mouth once more, but this time it was at the wall. The force from Swift sent Minun flying away, easily avoiding the attack.

"Smart," Katsuo said. He watched Minun land and then pose. "But you're gonna need to do better than that!"

"We will! Shock Wave, Minun!"

Minun landed on the ground and started to store energy in her body. She opened her mouth, but nothing happened.

"Oh no," Yurie muttered.

"That's it?" Katsuo asked. He ran his hand through his hair. "High Jump Kick!"

Medicham bounded forward and then leapt into the air. He kicked Minun once again, and sent her flying. Minun landed hard against the wall and then slumped weakly to the ground.

"It looks like we have a Battle Off, folks!" the announcer yelled. "Minun is unable to battle, so Medicham and Katsuo will continue to the finals!"

"I told you that you'd have to try harder," Katsuo said. He returned Medicham to his Poké Ball and grinned. "We don't have time for amateur hour anymore."

Yurie huffed and ran across the stage to pick up Minun. She held her Pokémon closely while she walked backstage with her head down. She quietly sat down next to Michika and did not say a word. Michika softly patted her on the back.

"Next is going to be Imamura Michika vs. Jonathon Erikson! Please make your way to the stage," the announcer yelled.

Michika stood up, gave one last look at Yurie, and then ran out into the hallway.

"Good luck," Yurie said quietly.

"Did I miss anything?" Himawari asked as he sat back down in his seat. He handed Logan a corn dog.

"Corn dog?"

"Unova Dog!" Himawari replied with a grin. "I heard that people from Unova love this stuff!"

"We do, and yeah. You missed something big. Yurie lost her match," Logan explained.

"Wait what?"

"Yeah, she attempted a Shock Wave, and it didn't work," Logan exclaimed.

"Still doesn't have it down, huh?" Himawari wondered. "I hope she's okay."

Michika and Jonathon ran to their respective sides of the stage and both prepared their Poké Balls. When the announcer gave them the cue, they released their Pokémon.

"Absol, you can do it!"

"Pignite, you da man!"

Absol appeared in front of Michika and then stretched her neck. She lazily looked at her opponent who was a chubby Pokémon that bounced up and down energetically.

"Pignite, huh?" Logan wondered out loud.

"You know that Pokémon?" Himawari asked.

"I mean, not _that_ Pokémon specifically, but I used to have a Pignite before it evolved. Takes me back seeing one now. It was good times," Logan said.

"Pignite, let's rev things up with Flame Charge!"

Pignite started to stamp his feet on the ground, making the stage shake. He slowly started to pick up the pace, and soon, he was stamping rapidly. His body became covered in flames as he dashed towards Absol.

"Razor Wind!"

Absol leapt back and charged energy in her horn. She flicked her head forward, shooting the energy directly at Pignite. The attack connected, but Pignite continued forward. He ran into Absol once she landed, making her stumble back a bit.

"You can't beat my Pignite's power! I guarantee that!"

"Gonna have to try something different then," Michika murmured to herself.

"Pignite, use Flamethrower!"

"Dig!"

Pignite blasted a steady stream of flames from his mouth as Absol began to hack away at the ground. The flames seemingly enveloped Absol's body, but when Pignite stopped the attack, the Dark-type was nowhere to be found.

"I guess that training sort of paid off," Logan said.

"Be careful, Pignite! Absol could be-"

"Night Slash!"

Before Pignite could do anything, Absol appeared behind him. She lifted her horn and slashed it at Pignite. A black energy blasted Pignite in the back and knocked him forward. He landed on his belly but quickly recovered.

"One more Flamethrower!" Jonathon ordered.

"Dig!"

The two repeated their attacks from before, and once again, Absol had disappeared.

"Fire in the hole!" Jonathon said with a laugh.

"He's really loud," Himawari noted.

Pignite ran to the hole that Absol had created and took in a deep breath.

"Now!" Michika yelled.

Absol immediately burst from the ground and prepared for Michika's next command.

"Slash!"

Absol reached out and with white energy bursting from her claws, she slashed at Pignite. The Fire-type fell back a few feet but quickly recovered.

"You're not going down easy," Jonathon said. "This battle is really getting good!"

Michika glanced at her Pokémon. Absol was breathing heavily. Pignite looked ready to fight still.

"Let's not give in, Absol!" Michika called. Absol howled.

"Pignite, show 'em your power!" The Pignite started to stamp his feet and cheer in response.

"Absol, rapid fire Razor Wind!"

Absol charged white energy in her horn and began flinging it repeatedly towards Pignite.

"No problem! Arm Thrust!"

Pignite's arms started to glow, and he swung at Absol's energy, destroying every attack as it came. He slowly walked forward, and Absol began to slow down. When Pignite was within range, he jabbed at Absol, sending the Dark-type backwards.

"Pignite, Fire Pledge!"

Pignite sucked in air and started to roar. A pillar of fire emerged from under him and shot towards Absol. The pillar multiplied, and surrounded the Dark-type. Suddenly, they all merged together to form one pillar and absorb Absol. Michika's Pokémon screeched in pain, and once the attack stopped, Absol fell to the ground.

"Absol!" Michika yelled as her Pokémon struggled to stand back up. The buzzer sounded, and everyone turned their attention to the screen. Michika's points had been depleted completely.

"Oh no…" Yurie said. "Even Michika…"

"It looks like Michika has ran out of points, which means that Jonathon will go onto the finals to face off against Katsuo!" the announcer yelled.

Michika walked to Absol and rested her hand on the Pokémon's head. "You did great! We'll just have to train harder for next time!" She returned Absol to her ball, and Jonathon walked up to her.

"It was a fun battle, Michika! Maybe next time!" he said. He stuck out his hand, and she shook it. The two then walked to the back as the announcer told the crowd there would be a five minute break.

When Michika entered the backroom, Yurie instantly hugged her.

"I'm sorry, Michika," she said. She had tears in her eyes. "It looks like we both have improving to do."

Michika smiled. "You win some and you lose some! We'll move on!" She hugged Yurie back. "Let's do our best next time, Yurie!"

They stayed behind and watched the rest of the contest. Katsuo defeated Jonathon by depleting his points completely, and he earned the Fallarbor Town Autumn Ribbon. When everything was finished, the group returned to the Pokémon Center. Michika and Yurie were quiet the whole way. Everyone took their baths, changed into their clothes, and they all went to bed. Himawari and Michika fell asleep quickly, as usual.

When everything quieted down, Logan got out of his bed and looked up at Yurie's bunk. She was wide awake with tears in her eyes. She tried to hide her face, but Logan tapped her on the head.

"Let's go outside for a bit, yeah?" Yurie nodded, and he grabbed her hand. They walked to the courtyard and sat down at a bench. Logan looked up at the night sky. He crossed his legs and smiled. "You know, we all lose battles. I mean, you saw me lose my gym battle in Dewford, right?"

Yurie nodded.

"And if you think about it, Yui lost her first battle against Michika! Yui said that she didn't even make it to the Hoenn Grand Festival last season," he said. "But she kept going. And now, she's pretty darn strong, right?"

Yurie nodded. She wiped her tears from her eyes.

"I actually lost my first ever gym battle. I thought that I wasn't cut out for gym battling after that, but I kept going, and I guess I got decent at it. And Yurie, let me just say, I think you're going to be a great trainer one day! You weren't even interested in battling, but as soon as you started to get an idea of how it worked, you improved so much! Imagine how good you're going to be next year!"

Yurie smiled. She looked up at the sky with Logan.

"I'm so excited to see where you end up at the end of this. I'll 100% make sure that I'm at the Hoenn Grand Festival to support you! And if you don't mind me asking, do you know where your next contest is?"

Yurie shook her head. "I haven't checked yet."

"Well, wherever it is, I'll try to be there too!"

Yurie bit her lip as more tears rolled down her cheeks.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Where should Yurie's next contest be?

The next few chapters are going to be the Lavaridge Arc. Time to introduce that darn Team Magma.


	23. Lava Cookies

**Chapter 23 - Lava Cookies**

* * *

It had been roughly three days since the Fallarbor Contest. Michika left the group to pursue a contest on the other side of the Hoenn while Logan was determined to quickly get to his next gym badge.

"A cable car?" Himawari asked while the group walked along Route 112. They were headed straight towards a mountain, and they could see signs promoting a cable car ride up the mountain. "I'm not into that. I'd rather walk."

"Why? It'll take us another day or two if we hike up the mountain," Logan exclaimed. "This will take us thirty minutes."

"Nope. I just want to see the sights that the mountain has to offer!" he replied.

Yurie laughed. "I just think you're afraid of heights!"

"Am not!" Himawari yelled. "But with that said, I should mention that I don't appreciate what heights have to offer."

"We're taking the cable car," Logan said.

Himawari groaned and then reluctantly followed as Logan and Yurie approached the building that ran the cable car. When they walked in, there was no one to be found. Only a machine with ticket prices on it.

"There's a one way ticket and a two way ticket," Yurie said while she read it. "There's also children prices, but because we're old enough to have Pokémon, we have to buy regular tickets." Yurie collected the money from the other two and then bought their tickets. They bought three two way tickets, and the lift started to buzz. The doors opened, and Logan and Yurie stepped in. Himawari looked at the door and groaned.

"C'mon," Logan said. He moved to the side and made room for Himawari. "There's more than enough space!"

"I think I'll just hike," Himawari replied.

"Get in the cable car now, Himawari!" Yurie yelled.

Himawari closed his eyes and slowly stepped into the cable car. The door closed, and he put his head into his lap. Logan patted his back softly as the cable car started to move.

Yurie and Logan looked around at the surroundings as the cable car moved into the air. Up the mountain was a giant forest with many lush green trees. Pokémon flew by the cable car peacefully. From the angle they were at, they soon were able to see the desert and even the bright lights of Mauville City.

"Mauville," Logan said to Himawari.

Himawari kept his head down. "I don't care. I'm not looking!"

As they continued, a different scent began to fill the air. Logan sniffed the air and made a funny face.

"This is a volcano!" Yurie said.

Logan covered his nose. "I recognize it from Alola! It's such a weird smell! I can taste it! It's like iron!"

"You both are wimps," she said quietly.

The cable car soon arrived at its destination. It stopped roughly and shook a little bit before coming to a complete stop. The door slowly opened, and Himawari quickly scrambled out of the car. He ran to the nearby restroom and disappeared.

"This is odd," Yurie mumbled.

"What? It's just motion sickness," Logan replied.

"Not that. But there's no one? Not a single person at the bottom of the mountain or here? I'd think that they'd give us fliers or something," she explained. "Something feels off."

"We could always look for someone? There's gotta be someone in this general area," Logan replied.

Himawari returned. His eyes were sunken in, and he looked exhausted. "Well, that was fun."

"Let's look for someone. Maybe it's nothing, but I still have a feeling," Yurie said.

"Wait, what happened?" Himawari asked.

The three exited the building and noticed that there was still no one. There were two paths. One led to Lavaridge and was completely empty while the other was a hiking trail up to Mt. Chimney. Two teenagers dressed in red stood at the gate. The group ran towards them, but as soon as the teenagers took notice, they tossed Poké Balls into the air. A Zubat and Poochyena appeared.

"We're gonna ask that you don't come any closer!" one of the teenagers yelled. "This is official Team Magma business!"

"Team Magma?" Logan wondered.

"We were wondering why there's no one around," Yurie said.

"We've closed down Mt. Chimney. There are a few things that we have to take care of here, and there's to be no trespassing," the other teenager said.

Logan looked at Yurie. "I don't think these guys are friendly."

"Yeah, I get that feeling too," Himawari added.

"Back away! Now!" one of them yelled.

Logan looked down at Mightyena. Mightyena nodded and then ran forward. Himawari tossed a Poké Ball into the air, and his Shinx emerged.

"If it's a battle you're looking for, then it's a battle you're gonna get," the grunt shouted. "Poochyena, use Bite!"

"Zubat, Leech Life!"

"Thunder Fang!" Logan and Himawari yelled in unison.

The Pokémon all lunged at one another. Shinx jumped into the air and grabbed ahold of Zubat with his electrified fangs while Mightyena easily avoided Poochyena and then latched down with his own electrified attack. Both Zubat and Poochyena fell limp to the ground.

"What?! No! Our Pokémon!" one of the teenagers yelled.

"We have to go and tell Maxie!" the other one replied. The two turned and started to run up the path to Mt. Chimney.

Logan turned to his friends. They nodded and then started to follow the teenagers up the hill. After about five minutes of running, they were able to reach the top. Smoke filled the air and the heat from the volcano instantly brought sweat to Logan's brow. The three looked out to find a lake of lava.

"It's them!" one of the teenagers yelled while pointing at Logan and his friends. "They're the ones who attacked us!"

Behind the two teenagers stood two more people. One was a chubby teenager who looked to be in his late teens while the other was a lanky middle-aged man with glasses.

"You were beaten by children?" the man asked. "That's why we've labeled you grunts."

"They took us by surprise!" the teenager retorted.

"Tabitha, take care of them," the man said.

The chubby teenager stepped forward and grinned. "Who wants to battle first?"

Logan pulled out his Premier Ball. "I'll take you on. Go, Electrike!"

"Numel, show no mercy!"

Electrike appeared on the battlefield and then howled into the air. In front of him, a small yellow Pokémon appeared. It glared at the Electric-type.

"Numel, use Lava Plume!" Tabitha ordered.

Numel started to groan as it sent energy into the soil. Fire suddenly began to burst from the ground and shot towards Electrike.

"Electrike, dodge! Then use Quick Attack!"

Electrike easily avoided the strike. He then darted forward and smashed his body into Numel. The Fire-type slid back a few feet but quickly regained composure.

"Numel, Magnitude!"

"That's not good," Himawari muttered.

"Why?" Yurie asked.

Numel dug its feet into the ground, and the mountain began to shake. Electrike could not keep his footing and fell to the ground. The trainers all stumbled around too.

"Now, Flame Burst!" Tabitha commanded.

Numel took in a deep breath and then opened its mouth wide. A single ball of fire formed and he launched it at the downed Electrike.

"Get out of there!" Logan yelled.

Electrike jolted back up and then launched himself into the air.

"Bite!"

As Electrike fell from the sky, he opened his mouth wide. He came down directly on Numel and latched right onto him. Numel howled for a moment before falling limp and fainting.

"I-I can't believe it," Tabitha said.

"We told you they were strong!" one of the grunts screamed.

The old man frowned and then walked forward. "Are you with Team Aqua?"

"What?" Yurie asked.

"Team Aqua? Do you happen to be members of Team Aqua? Is that why you're trying to stop us?"

"No!" Yurie yelled. "Team Aqua are bad men!"

The man grinned. "That they are. If that is the case, then you should allow us to do what we're doing. We, Team Magma, are the polar opposites of Team Aqua. Our goal is to make new land for Pokémon to thrive on."

The three trainers looked at each other, not sure on what to do next.

"We want to use the Legendary Pokémon, Groudon, to achieve our goal. We'll erupt this volcano and many more like it in the area, and in due time, there will be more land for Pokémon to live on," he said. "I, Maxie of Team Magma, will be seen as a savior!"

"Oh wait, no. So, you're insane," Logan said. "You want to create more land for Pokémon, but in doing so, thousands of people could lose their lives! And not just that, but you'd be taking away a lot of homes from Water Pokémon!"

"Humans have taken away land from Pokémon for long enough. Now, it's their turn to take it back. I'm just gonna give them a head start," he said. He turned to a machine that was glowing behind them. "Using this, we'll reawaken this volcano, and it'll soon erupt. Hoenn's land will expand."

"I've only been on a journey for a few months, but it seems that everyone that we meet is crazy," Yurie whispered.

"We'll stop you!" Logan yelled.

Maxie walked in front of the grunts and pulled out a Poké Ball. "I'd like to see you try. Go, Golbat!"

A winged Pokémon with a giant mouth appeared above the battlefield. It licked its lips and glared at Electrike.

"Electrike, use Spark!"

"Wing Attack!"

Golbat's wings started to glow bright white, and it shot downwards at Electrike. Electrike bounded forward, sparks emitting from his body. The two Pokémon collided, and both were sent back flying.

"Air Cutter!"

Golbat's wings continued to glow, and it started to flap them rapidly. Energy flowed from his wings and shot straight towards Electrike.

"Quick Attack! Dodge them!"

Electrike nodded. He dashed forward, and streak of white energy followed him. He ducked and weaved through all of the Golbat's energy, and then he leapt into the air.

"Now, Thunder Fang!"

Electrike latched onto Golbat's leg, and sparks started to fly from his fangs. The sparks electrocuted Golbat, and both of the Pokémon fell to the ground.

"Swift!"

Golbat gaped its mouth open wide and a flurry of stars shot into the air.

"Discharge!"

Electrike took a few of the stars directly, but he began to charge energy within himself. He released the energy, sending a wave over the battlefield. Golbat was engulfed in the electric wave and instantly fainted.

Maxie lifted his ball and returned Golbat. "Rubbish." He tossed another Poké Ball into the air. This time, a giant red Pokémon with two mountain-like humps on his back emerged.

"We're not afraid!" Logan said.

Electrike nodded, howled, and then started to glow white. The group watched as his body began to shift and grow. Within moments, Electrike had turned into a Manectric.

"Yes!" Logan yelled. "That's the same Pokémon that Tessen used."

"It won't make a difference," Maxie said. He turned to the machine. "In only a few minutes, my machine will cause a chain reaction which will create an eruption."

"Then we'll use Manectric's speed!" Logan said. "Quick Attack!"

Manetric lunged forward. He collided directly with Maxie's Pokémon, but it did not do much. The Pokémon stood still, unwavered.

"Discharge!" Logan ordered.

Manectric charged his energy and let it loose right in front of Maxie's Pokémon. The electrical field washed over it, but there was no effect.

"What?" Logan wondered.

"Camerupt, use Earth Power!" Maxie commanded.

"Oh, that makes sense…" Logan said.

Camerupt began to roar. He lifted his head into the air, and his eyes started to glow red. Rocks lifted from the ground, and he tossed it at Manectric. The Electric-type easily dodged the attack and then retreated back to Logan.

"If that's how he's gonna fight, then we need to chip away as much as we can!" Logan said. "Quick Attack!"

"Flamethrower!"

Manectric darted across the battlefield as a flurry of flames burst from Camerupt's mouth. Manectric ducked under the flames and then charged into Camerupt. He quickly backed up once more and then lunged again. Every time he struck Camerupt, the Fire-type only took a few steps back.

"Flame Burst!"

Camerupt sucked in air and shot a giant ball of fire at Manectric. The attack hit directly, sending Manectric flying back to Logan. Logan ran to his Pokémon and held him in his arms.

"I'll give you credit, kid. You're not bad. You'd make a great admin at Team Magma, if you'd ever want to join," he said.

"Nah. Being crazy isn't really my thing!" Logan said with a grin.

"What is your thing?" Maxie asked.

"Distracting you."

"Thunderbolt!" voices called.

Maxie turned towards the machine as he noticed that it glowed with electrical energy. Yurie and Himawari stood by the machine with their Minun and Shinx. The Pokémon used their attacks at full power, and within moments, the machine exploded.

"No!" Tabitha yelled.

"What have you done?" Maxie growled at the trainers. "You've ruined everything!"

Yurie and Himawari ran back to Logan's side while the Team Magma members looked at each other, confused as to what to do next.

"You can't just mess with mother nature like this! You're just as bad as the members from Team Aqua!" Logan said.

Maxie glared. "Don't you dare compare me to those misguided fools!"

Tabitha grabbed Maxie's arm. "Boss, maybe it'd be best for us to do a tactical retreat. As of now, it'd be you versus three."

Maxie nodded. "If we meet again, I will show you no mercy."

Team Magma turned and began to retreat towards a helicopter.

"What about the meteorite?" one of the grunts asked.

"Leave it! We have no need for it!" Maxie snapped.

With that, the group boarded the helicopter, and they were soon in the air. Maxie never once took his eyes off of Logan. They quickly disappeared into the smoke from the volcano.

"So, there's a Team Aqua and Team Magma," Yurie said. "It turns out that Hoenn isn't as peaceful as I thought it was."

"You okay, buddy?" Logan asked Manectric. Manectric grinned and then rested his head on Logan's shoulder.

Suddenly a soft voice called out from behind them. "Thank you for what you did today." The group turned. An old lady stood behind them. She kept her fragile body perched up by using a cane. "I'm too weak to do anything myself, but I was watching closely. I'm very glad you saved us."

"I'm sorry that we couldn't get here sooner," Yurie said.

"We sent out people to Lavaridge Town to come and help us, but the trek up the mountain takes a long time. I was getting worried that they wouldn't make it," she said. "But you've helped us." She slowly reached behind into her bag and pulled out a small lunch box. "It's not much, but I want you to take these." She handed the box over to Yurie who opened them up, and a smile came across her face.

"Lava Cookies!" she yelled. "These are famous in Lavaridge!"

"I made them myself," the old woman responded. "Please feed them to your Pokémon too."

Each trainer took a cookie, and Logan handed one to Manectric. He stuck one in his mouth and the flavor of chocolate washed over his tongue. The cookie was nice and chewy with giant chunks of dark chocolate.

"It's so good," Logan said with a mouth full.

"I'll be sure to tell the people what you did today," the old woman said.

"We should get going to Lavaridge," Himawari exclaimed. "It's getting dark, and I smell like smoke."

Logan and Yurie nodded. The group waved goodbye to the old woman, and they were on their way. Logan made sure to sneak himself a few extra cookies while the other two were not looking.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I thought I was going to have to split this into two different chapters, but it was all pretty quick to write. Something I plan on doing with Team Magma and Aqua is keeping their members sort of short. I find it hard to believe that Maxie and Archie could convince a bunch of people of their ways, so Team Magma and Aqua will be smaller groups.


	24. Toriten

**Chapter 24 - Toriten**

* * *

The group arrived in Lavaridge Town at night time. The town was wedged in between the volcano and a mountain. Smoke lifted through cracks in the ground and filled the air. The people were lively at night, and the streets were filled with lights from the various restaurants.

"So, where do we go first?" Logan asked Yurie. "I'm guessing that you have some food that you want to try?"

"Lavaridge actually isn't too famous for its food," Himawari said. "It's more famous for its hot springs and sand baths."

"Sand baths?" Logan wondered.

Yurie nodded. "We'll try to go to one after your gym battle! But I do want to try Lavaridge's toriten!" She looked through her Hoenn guidebook. "There's a restaurant near the Pokémon Center!"

"Perfect!" Logan said.

They continued down the road towards the Pokémon Center, and Logan looked around at the different shops. Every place seemingly advertised hot springs, and each store had their own decorative towel. They passed a store with a small hot spring in the front. There was a net dipped in the boiling water which held eggs. Logan peaked his head over the hot spring, and the smoke burned his eyes.

"Do you want some?" Yurie asked. "They boil the eggs in the hot springs! Some say it gives them a different taste!"

Logan nodded and she bought two eggs. They poured a little bit of mayonnaise on top, and Logan took a bite.

"The mayo is sweet. It's better than the stuff we have in Unova," Logan said. "It's not bad!"

"I'm glad you like it!"

The three finished their trek to the Pokémon Center and rented a room for the night. They put down their bags and then walked to the restaurant. It was packed with people, but the trainers were squeezed into the counter area. Yurie quickly ordered the food, and Logan watched as they fried chicken in a little pot.

"This is toriten!" Yurie exclaimed as they were handed a plate of fried chicken.

"It's different from regular Hoenn style fried chicken. They use a lighter batter," Himawari said. "I've never had it myself, but I'm very interested."

"Let's eat!" Logan said. "Itadakimasu!"

The three grabbed their chopsticks and began to eat. They pulled the chicken from a bigger plate and ate it over their own individual plates. It was not long until all the chicken was gone, and Yurie ordered more. They ate that set quickly too, but Logan was soon full. Yurie ordered one more batch and had the cook place it into a bag.

"I'm sure our Pokémon will enjoy some of it!" she explained. "And if they don't want it, then I'll eat it!"

Logan laughed. "You just ordered it for yourself."

They returned to the Pokémon Center and took their separate baths, changed into their pajamas, and prepared for bed. Logan looked out the window at the street. The way the smoke rose from the vents amazed him.

"You ready for your battle tomorrow?" Yurie asked.

Logan smiled. "You can never really be completely ready, but I'll try my best!" He laid down. "I have faith in my team."

The next morning, the group woke up bright and early. Logan looked at Lavaridge Town's map, and they were off to the gym. Nothing looked too different about this gym from what Logan could tell, but when they opened the door, smoke blasted at them. They walked in and there were pools of boiling water in random areas.

"Be careful," a voice called. A boy with red hair met with them at the entrance. "Don't want to burn yourself!"

"I'm here to challenge the gym leader," Logan said.

The boy grinned. "You're in luck! She just finished taking her bath! She's ready for challengers! Follow me!"

"Taking her bath?" Logan wondered.

Yurie smiled. "People in Lavaridge take a lot of pride in their hot springs. They'll take multiple baths a day."

"Just seems like a weird thing to say out loud." The group followed the little boy into the room with the battlefield. A girl with bright red hair stood on the other side. She walked to the middle to meet the group.

"I take it you're here for a gym battle?" she asked.

"My name is Logan Stephenson. I'm from the Unova region," Logan said.

"I'm Asuna," she said. "Welcome to the Hoenn, Logan. I have to warn you, I battle aggressively!"

Logan smiled. "Well, I'm no pushover."

"I will crush you!" Asuna said aggressively. She then smiled. "How does three on three sound?"

"If that's the rules, then so be it," Logan replied.

Asuna looked past Logan at Himawari. "Himawari-chan?"

"Don't call me that," Himawari mumbled.

"It's so good to see you! You doin' some traveling before everything is official?" she asked.

Himawari nodded. "Yeah. Figured I'd try some of Lavaridge's food. Glad to see that you've finally gotten your position."

"And I'm doing a great job! Logan, let's begin!"

Logan walked back to his trainer's box while his friends ran to the stands. Logan wiped the sweat off of his brow. "It's so hot."

"Can't take the heat?" Asuna asked.

"I'll be fine!"

The boy with red hair raised up two flags. "This battle will be between Logan from the Unova Region and Gym Leader Asuna! It will be a three on three battle, and only the challenger may make substitutions. Begin!"

"Go, Numel!" Asuna yelled while tossing her Poké Ball into the air. The same Pokémon that Logan fought yesterday appeared on the field.

Yurie took this chance to scan the Pokémon with her Pokédex. "Numel, the Numb Pokémon. Numel is extremely dull witted - it doesn't notice being hit. However, it can't stand hunger for even a second. This Pokémon stores magma of almost 2,200 degrees F within its body. If it gets wet, the magma cools and hardens. In that event, the Pokémon's body grows heavy and its movements become sluggish," the Pokédex chimed.

_As I expected, she's using Fire-types. I'll have to use Mudkip, but only as a last resort._ Logan thought. He pulled out an orange and red Poké Ball. "I'll start with Vibrava!"

Vibrava appeared on the field, and she shook her body. She glanced over at Numel and then struck a fighting pose.

"Vibrava, start with Dragon Breath!"

Vibrava jumped into the air and unleashed blue flames onto the field. Numel took the blow directly, but then waited for his command.

"Oh yeah!" Asuna said as though she just realized that she was in a battle. "We'll use Flamethrower!"

Numel opened his mouth and shot a steady flow of flames upwards into the air.

"Dodge, and then use Sand Tomb!"

Vibrava landed back onto the ground, and she kicked sand into the air. The sand formed a tornado or sorts and shot straight towards Numel. It surrounded the Fire-type, and the Pokémon howled.

"Magnitude!" Asuna directed.

Numel lifted its two front paws and then smashed them into the ground. The force that it created was enough to stop Vibrava's attack, but the gym only shook slightly.

"Not good…" she muttered.

"Vibrava, show them how it's done! Use Earthquake!"

Vibrava jumped into the air and then quickly came back down. She smashed her legs into the ground, making the entire gym shake. The ground in front of her lifted and the path between her and Numel shook violently. Numel was tossed into the air, and when it landed back on the ground, it fainted.

"Numel is no longer able to battle! Vibrava is the winner!" the boy with red hair declared.

Himawari sighed. "C'mon, Asuna."

"Wait, you're cheering for her?" Yurie asked.

Himawari shook his head. "I'm not cheering for her. I just want her to do better. We trained together. If she looks bad, then it could also look bad on me."

Asuna returned her Pokémon and frowned. "That didn't go exactly as planned, but I'm not worried! Go, Slugma!"

A Pokémon seemingly made of pure molten lava appeared on the field. It slowly bobbed its body up and down as it looked at Vibrava.

"Slugma, the Lava Pokémon. Slugma does not have any blood in its body. Molten magma courses throughout Slugma's circulatory system, carrying essential nutrients and oxygen to its organs. If this Pokémon is chilled, the magma cools and hardens. Its body turns brittle and chunks fall off, reducing its size," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"It looks scary," Yurie whispered. "Make sure you watch closely, Torchic."

Torchic nodded and looked at Slugma intently.

"Dragon Breath!" Logan ordered.

"Flamethrower!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks. The flames met in the middle of the field and exploded, causing more smoke and steam to fill the air.

"Rock Slide!" Asuna's voice called.

The ground shook below Vibrava. She looked up and noticed dozens of rocks piercing through the smoke and then falling from the sky.

"Get out of the way!" Logan directed.

Vibrava jumped to start flying, but the rocks fell too quickly. One struck Vibrava and pushed her into the ground. More crashed nearby, and the momentum sent Vibrava backwards.

"Ha! Got you!" Asuna said.

"Not yet!" Logan responded. "Vibrava, Bug Buzz!"

Vibrava began to rapidly flap her wings, eliminating the smoke in the process.

"Now, Sand Tomb!"

Once more, Vibrava kicked up sand and created small tornadoes. She sent the sand whirling towards Slugma, and it trapped the Fire-type.

"Try Rock Slide once more!" Asuna called.

Slugma tried to focus its energy, but the sand was too much. He ducked his head and tried to hide from the attack.

"Dragon Breath!" Logan ordered

Vibrava released her attack once more, and the blue fire mixed with the sand tornadoes, surrounding Slugma. The Fire-type howled in pain, and when Vibrava's attack ceased, Slugma laid flat out on the ground.

The red-headed boy sighed and lifted his flag into the air. "Slugma is unable to battle. Vibrava is the winner."

Asuna quietly lifted her Poké Ball and returned Slugma. She pulled out her final Poké Ball. "No one has ever put me into a corner like you, Logan."

"I have to win no matter what. If you want to make a comeback, you're gonna have to give it your all," he responded.

Asuna nodded and threw her Poké Ball into the air. A red and black Pokémon with smoke bursting from its nostrils and the peak of its shell appeared.

"Torkoal, the Coal Pokémon. Torkoal generates energy by burning coal. It grows weaker as the fire dies down. When it is preparing for battle, this Pokémon burns more coal. This Pokémon digs through mountains in search of coal. If it finds some, it fills hollow spaces on its shell with the coal and burns it. If it is attacked, this Pokémon spouts thick black smoke to beat a retreat," the Pokédex chimed.

Himawari stood up. "Don't let this be a sweep, Asuna! Don't let him embarrass you like this!"

Asuna pointed at Himawari. "You be quiet, Himawari-chan!"

"Don't call me that name!"

Logan sighed. "You guys done?"

Asuna nodded.

"Good! Let's start with Dragon Breath!" Logan directed.

"Iron Defense!"

As Vibrava unleashed her attack, Torkoal retreated into its shell. The blue fire engulfed its body, but when the attack stopped, Torkoal reappeared, seemingly unphased.

"Body Slam!" Asuna ordered.

Torkoal leapt into the air at an amazing height. It then came crashing back down directly on Vibrava. Torkoal slowly lifted its body off of Vibrava and backed away. Vibrava laid back with her eyes closed.

"Vibrava!" Logan yelled.

"Vibrava is unable to battle! Torkoal is the winner!"

Logan returned his Pokémon. He tossed his next Poké Ball into the air, and Manectric appeared.

"All you got?" Asuna asked.

"All I need."

"Torkoal, use Flamethrower!"

"Discharge!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks, and the energy collided in the middle of the stadium. As the energy exploded, the trainers gave their next commands.

"Thunder Fang!"

"Body Slam!"

Manectric ran into the smoke, his jaws sparking with electricity, but his attack stopped when Torkoal landed its entire body on Electric-type's back.

"Jump off and then Flamethrower!" Asuna ordered.

Torkoal spun its body around and got off of Manectric. He opened his mouth and unleashed a stream of flames. The flames engulfed the injured Manectric, and sent him flying back.

"Manectric! Can you still fight?" Logan asked.

Manectric groaned as he stood back up. He barked at Torkoal, who started laughing.

"Quick Attack!" Logan ordered.

Manectric shot towards Torkoal, and before Asuna could make her call, Manectric slammed his body into the Fire-type. Manectric quickly backed away a few feet and waited for Logan's command.

"Spark!"

Manectric jumped forward as electric energy emitted from his body. He crashed into Torkoal, and the Fire-type fell onto its side.

"Discharge!" Logan yelled.

"Overheat!"

Torkoal retreated into its shell, shifted its body, and then reappeared back on its feet. Its body began to glow a light orange, and it shot a pillar of fire from its mouth. Manectric did his attack too, but the Fire-type move easily broke through and blasted Manectric. Manectric fell backwards into a slump, and the referee made his call.

"Manectric is unable to battle! Torkoal is the winner!"

Logan returned Manectric and sighed. "You did good, buddy."

"My Torkoal is pretty powerful, don't you think?" Asuna asked.

Logan nodded. "Not bad! But it won't stand a chance against my next Pokémon." He threw his Poké Ball into the air and Mudkip appeared. He danced around for a bit before focusing on Torkoal.

"Cute, but I can deal with Water-types!" Asuna said.

"Mudkip, start with Mud-Slap!"

Mudkip dug his from legs into the ground and then tossed mud into the air at Torkoal.

"Iron Defense!" Asuna ordered.

Torkoal retreated into its shell, took the attack, and then reappeared.

"Now, Body Slam!"

Torkoal shot into the air once more and quickly fell back towards the ground.

"Protect!" Logan yelled.

Mudkip focused and a blue barrier of energy appeared around his body. Torkoal landed on the barrier and then bounced back a few feet.

"Good!" Logan said "Water Gun!"

Mudkip released water from his mouth, and it collided with Torkoal directly, sending the Fire-type rolling back. It quickly recovered and then glared at Mudkip.

"One more Water Gun!" Logan directed.

"Overheat!" Asuna yelled.

The two Pokémon used their attacks, and they clashed in the middle of the battlefield. This time, the Fire-type attack broke through, and Mudkip's Water Gun turned to steam. The fire struck into Mudkip, and he rolled back.

"Mudkip!" Logan yelled. "You okay, buddy?"

Mudkip stood back up straight and nodded.

"Body Slam!" Asuna commanded.

"Rock Throw!"

Using his energy, Mudkip tossed a flurry of rocks into the air. They smashed into Torkoal's body as it soared through the air, but it did not seem to mind. It crashed down in front of Mudkip, making the Water-type fall back.

"Water Gun!"

Mudkip used his attack once more, sending Torkoal rolling back. The Fire-type quickly recovered and waited for Asuna's command.

"Overheat!"

"Water Gun again!"

They unleashed their attacks, but as soon as they connected, they cancelled each other out.

"Interesting," Logan muttered.

"Flamethrower!" Asuna commanded.

Torkoal used its attack, but the stream of fire was thinner than usual. Mudkip hid behind a wall of rocks to avoid the attack.

"I got it!" Logan said. "Mudkip, Water Gun once more!"

Mudkip jumped onto the top of the rock and released his attack.

"Overheat!" Asuna ordered with a grin.

The two attacks collided, but the Fire-type attack wavered. Water Gun broke through and then collided with Torkoal's face. Torkoal lowered its head and began to breathe heavily.

"Logan figured it out," Himawari said quietly.

"Figure what out?" Yurie asked.

"Overheat is a really strong attack, but it comes with a price. It tires down your own Pokémon, and every attack afterwards is weaker. You have to get direct hits with Overheat, or your Pokémon will be too weak to make any effective moves," Himawari explained.

"Water Gun one last time!"

Mudkip took in a deep breath and unleashed his attack.

"Overheat!" Asuna commanded.

Torkoal lifted his head to start its attack, but nothing came out of its mouth. It was pelted with the Water Gun, and then rolled over limp.

The red-haired kid sighed and raised his flags. "Torkoal is unable to battle. The winner is Mudkip, and the victory goes to challenger!"

Asuna returned her Pokémon and then walked to the middle of the field to meet Logan, who carried his Mudkip on his shoulder.

"You did really good, Logan. It was a good battle," Asuna said while the red-headed boy handed her a small box. "It looks like I have a lot to learn about being a gym leader." She handed the box over to Logan. "Here is your Heat Badge!"

Logan accepted the badge and smiled. "That means that I'm halfway there!"

Himawari and Yurie met them in the middle. "You've gotten better, Asuna, but you still need to learn a lot."

"You be quiet, Himawari-chan!" she yelled. She suddenly calmed down. "When are you gonna be taking over your gym, huh? You talk a lot of smack for someone who's not defending his turf."

Himawari frowned. "I haven't decided yet. I wanted to travel for a bit and see the world."

"Well, stay for awhile!" Asuna said. "Make sure to enjoy the baths while you're here, Himawari-chan."

"We're leaving," he said to the others. He grabbed Logan and Yurie's arms and walked towards the exit while Asuna laughed. The three walked back outside, and the sun beat down on them instantly.

"It's so hot," Logan muttered.

"Can't deal with the Hoenn heat, Logan?" a voice asked.

The group looked forward. A girl about the same age as Logan stood in front of them. She had short straight black hair and wore a black tanktop and a purple skirt that fell to her knees. The messenger bag that she wore had Poké Balls connected to the strap.

Logan felt his body go numb. It was as though all the air had suddenly been sucked from his body.

"Luna…"


	25. Cheese Pizza

**Chapter 25 - Cheese Pizza**

* * *

**Two Years Ago**

"So, I put in a special request," Professor Juniper said as she and Logan walked to her lab. "I know that you love Tepig, so I made sure that we got one for you. Funnily enough, this Tepig is a twin, and his brother is also going to be given away to one of your classmates today."

"Really?" Logan asked. "That sounds so cool!"

"So, whoever chooses Tepig, you'll always be connected to that person."

* * *

"Okay, students. You've all done very well these past few years, and it's now time for me to let you go off on your own. You know the drill when it comes to this. You get to choose one of three Pokémon, and these Pokémon will be your partners from now on. Cherish and love them like family," Juniper said to three of her students. Logan sat in the back of the room and watched them eagerly. He held his new Poké Ball in his hand.

A girl with short black hair and a dark blue dress raised her hand. "I want Tepig!"

Juniper laughed. "Okay, Luna. Since you're so eager, I guess that I'll give you first pick." She picked up the Poké Ball with a fire insignia on it and released the orange Pokémon onto the table. It shook its body and then smiled at Luna. Luna grabbed and hugged it tightly.

* * *

**Present Day**

"Luna…" Logan said quietly. He could not look at the girl in the eyes. He lowered his gaze.

"Taking on the Hoenn League, I see?" the girl asked. Logan stayed quiet. "Cat got your tongue?"

"Logan, who's this?" Yurie asked. Logan did not respond.

"I'm sorry for my friend's silence, miss," Himawari said. He approached the girl and stuck out his hand. "I'm Himawari, and what might be your name, cutie?"

The girl glared. "My name is Luna. Don't be a creep."

Himawari pulled his hand back. "Well then."

"Luna?" Yurie wondered out loud. She got close to Logan. "Is this the Luna that you traveled with?"

Logan looked at Yurie in the eyes and nodded slowly. Yurie gasped. She looked at Luna closely.

_She's so much prettier than me!_ She screamed internally.

"I heard that you came to Hoenn. Everyone back home saw you on TV when you entered into some contest. I asked around and was later invited to come visit Professor Birch. He said he needed help with some research of his. He also mentioned that you were traveling around," Luna said. "I was just coming here to get myself a gym badge."

Logan looked up. "You're competing?"

"Yep!" Luna responded with a grin. She held open a badge case. "I've already received five badges. This one will be my sixth. How many do you have, Logan?" Logan did not respond. "C'mon! You've been here two months longer than me! You're bound to have more!"

"He's been taking the time to teach me how to train!" Yurie said. She stepped in front of Logan. "I'm Yurie from Littleroot Town!"

Luna looked behind Yurie at Logan. "So, you took on a student? Doesn't seem like something you would have done."

"Go do your battle, Luna!" Logan snapped. He turned and started to speed walk away from the group. When he was a decent distance from them, he began to run.

"Logan, wait!" Yurie yelled while she and Mightyena chased after him.

Himawari turned to Luna. "So, I'm not a creep."

Luna frowned. "Yeah. Okay."

Yurie could not keep track of Logan. He ran through the twisted streets of Lavaridge, and soon, he was completely out of sight. Yurie stopped and looked around. The steam from the ground made it hard to analyze the entire area.

"Mightyena, can you smell him?" she asked the Dark-type.

Mightyena nodded. He raised his nose into the air and began to sniff. Sure enough, he caught Logan's scent, and he dashed down one of the roads. Yurie followed the best she could.

"Logan!" Yurie yelled.

* * *

**Two Years Ago**

"Hey, Luna!" Logan called while the four trainers exited the lab. "Your Tepig! He's my Tepig's twin brother!"

"What? Really? That's awesome!"

"So, we'll always be connected in that way!" Logan grinned. He winked at Professor Juniper who was watching them through a window.

"That's amazing, Logan!"

The boy who selected Oshawott gagged. "You two are weird!"

Mao smiled. "I think that Aaron is just jealous that he doesn't have that kind of connection with you, Luna."

"Shut up!" the boy yelled.

They all laughed.

"Logan?"

"Yeah?"

"I think it'd be hard if we separated our two Tepig, so maybe we should travel together. I think it could be fun," Luna said shyly.

Logan scratched the back of his head and laughed. "I was actually thinking the exact same thing!"

"I repeat!" the boy yelled. "You two are weird!"

**Three Months Later**

"Logan."

"Yeah?"

"I have a lot of fun with you. I'm very glad that we're traveling together," Luna said. The two sat on a park bench and stared up at the sky. For once, Castelia City seemed silent.

"Yeah! I love traveling with you, Luna!"

Luna pulled an orange popsicle out of the small styrofoam cooler she brought with her from the Pokemon Center. She pulled the wrapping off, snapped the popsicle in half, and handed one half to Logan.

"Can I be honest with you?" she asked.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. What's up?"

"When we first started our journey, I asked if you'd travel with me, and I told you that it was because I wanted to keep our Pokémon together, but that wasn't entirely true."

"Oh yeah?" Logan sucked on the popsicle.

She nodded. "Yeah. The truth is, I would have looked for any excuse to travel with you. We grew up and studied together, and the thought of us splitting up to go on separate journeys scared me."

Logan laughed. "Really?"

"What? It's embarrassing. Don't laugh!"

"It's not embarrassing, Luna!" he responded. "I thought the same thing. Had you not asked, I would have."

"I see…"

She stuck out her hand and extended her pinky.

"I think we should pinky promise!"

"Pinky promise what?" Logan looked at her finger.

"We should pinky promise that we'll stick together no matter what! I'll always support you!"

Logan smiled. He stuck out his pinky, and they latched onto one another. "I promise!"

* * *

**Present Day**

Logan sat down against a wall. He let his body fall, and then hid his face in his knees.

"Why?" he muttered to himself. "Why now?"

He felt something wet on his hand, and he looked up. Mightyena stood right before him with his tongue out. Mightyena smiled.

"Are you okay, Logan?" Yurie asked.

Logan wiped his tears on his knees. "I'm fine."

Yurie patted him on the head and then leaned down. She looked at him in the eyes. "If you're not okay, we can talk. No one else is around right now."

He buried his head into his knees once more. His body began to slowly shake as he started to cry once more. Yurie put her arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. Mightyena forced his head under Logan's arm, and he licked his trainer's face.

"Whatever it is, it'll be okay," she said.

"Why is she here?" he asked quietly.

"Who? Luna?"

Logan did not respond.

"Right now, it's just us two."

"Why did she come to Hoenn? I thought that we were done."

"She said that she had been called here by Professor Birch," Yurie said.

"I'm gonna have a talk with him," Logan exclaimed. He slightly laughed.

"What happened between you two?"

Logan looked at Yurie. "I grew up with Luna. She's been my best friend since I was little. We traveled Unova and Alola together. She was the one who beat me in the semi-finals in Alola."

"Are you upset because she's the one who beat you?" Yurie asked.

Logan shook his head. "No. I mean, I wasn't happy that she beat me. I was very happy for her. I just wish that I was better."

"So, you're upset that she's here because she beat you?"

"It's not that," Logan responded quickly. He took in a deep breath. "We promised each other that we'd always be together. We promised that we'd travel the world together. I told her I'd always support her."

"What happened?" Yurie asked.

* * *

**Five Months Prior**

Logan laid in his bed, and stared up at the ceiling. His Zorua rested on his belly. He could hear the children outside playing.

_Semi-finals again._ Logan thought.

There was a knock on the door, and Juniper squeezed her face through the small space that she had created.

"Logan? You awake?" she asked.

Logan nodded.

"Want some food?"

Logan looked up. "What kind of food are we talking?"

"I ordered some pizza for us. Should be here any minute now. C'mon down and have a bite."

He nodded. He put his head back down and took a deep breath. "Let's go, Zorua." The two walked downstairs to find Juniper stumbling with two boxes of pizza. She set them down on the table and grinned.

"The bottom of those boxes are really hot!" she said. "I got an adult pizza for me, and then a cheese pizza for you. I know how picky you are."

Logan opened one of the boxes. As soon as he saw anchovies and olives, he slammed it shut.

"How could you put that stuff in your body?" he asked. He opened the other box and pulled out two slices.

"Fine dining," Juniper said while handing him a paper plate.

The two sat down and began to eat. Logan remained silent the whole time.

"So, I was talking to Luna, and she said that she was thinking of going to a far away land for her next adventure. I assume you'll be going with her," Juniper said. "You two are always traveling together."

"No." Logan snapped.

"No?"

"I don't want to travel with her anymore. That's all."

"But you're best friends?"

Logan did not respond.

"Logan, ever since the Alola League, you've been silent. What do you have on you mind? I understand that losing is difficult, but you've gotta keep your head up."

Logan put down his plate and stood up from the table. "I'll talk to you later." He grabbed his jacket and walked out the front door, leaving Juniper and Zorua behind.

Nuvema Town was a quiet place. It was hidden in the northern countryside of Unova between thick forests. Logan walked to his favorite place in the city, the docks. Here, many people came to Unova to start new journeys, but he also watched his fair share of people leave for different lands. He sat down on one of the docks and dipped his feet into the ocean. He gazed out into the vast sea. Water as far as the eye could see.

"Feeling stressed out?" a voice called. Logan turned to find Luna standing above him. She walked up to him and pressed her knees to his back. "I could kick you in, ya know?"

"Please don't."

Luna laughed and then sat down next to Logan. She took his hand. "I'm thinking Kanto."

"Kanto?"

"Yeah! We can take on the Kanto Region together! It's one of the most popular regions in the whole world and think about how cool it would be to face each other in the finals?"

Logan did not respond.

"I know that one of us can do it this year. I know we can!" she said.

Logan let go of Luna's hand. "I don't know."

"You don't know? I'm sure of it, Logan!"

"But don't you think that it'd be better if we took on our own leagues? What if we both won separate tournaments?"

Luna laughed. "But then we wouldn't share the adventure together!"

Logan remained quiet.

"You okay, Logan?"

Logan sighed. "Throughout my entire career as a Pokémon Trainer, I've always compared myself to you. You've always been the better trainer, and I've had to sit back and watch. I'm always playing catch up. Without you, I'm not sure if I'd have gotten this far."

"Well, we should keep pushing each other!"

"I'm just curious as to where I'd be without you, ya know? How far could I have made it? Am I good enough to be independent? If I ever win, I want it to be because I did it on my own."

Luna poked Logan in the nose. "It will be on your own! I know it will!" She stood back up. "Let's meet back here tomorrow morning at 10! We can go off to Kanto together then!"

Logan nodded. "Okay."

* * *

Logan stood still in his room. He looked around at the different memorabilia and badges that he had on the wall. Right next to his door was a picture with his full teams from both Unova and Alola. He ran his finger over them and then looked at Zorua.

"Zorua, I'm sorry. I have things that I want to do, but I want to do them different this time," he told the Pokémon. Zorua barked.

Logan bent over and pet the Dark-type. "I have to prepare."

Logan packed his clothing for traveling in the heat. He took all of the Poké Balls that he had remaining and put them in a drawer in his room, and pulled the picture frames of his Pokémon off the wall, removed the pictures, and put them in his backpack. The final thing he did before leaving his room was write a letter to his aunt. With that, he ran to the lab, and snuck to the back.

"Everyone?" he said quietly. There was no response. It was night time, so it was hard for him to see. "Anyone there?"

Suddenly, Logan was lifted into the air and squeezed.

"Emboar!" a Pokémon called. The Pokémon excitedly hugged him.

"Emboar-put-me-down!" Logan managed to say through gasping breaths. The Pokémon obliged and dropped him on the floor. Logan smiled. "It's good to see you so energetic, buddy!"

His other Pokémon started to reveal themselves from the darkness. They all smiled at their trainer. Logan stood up and pet two of them. One of them let out a soft cry as Logan scratcged under its chin. It then jumped up onto its own tail and floated away happily with electric energy sparking from its body.

"Raichu," Logan said quietly.

The other one smiled and then ran up his shoulder.

"Emolga."

It nuzzled its nose against Logan's and then jumped into the air, and used small flaps from under its arms to glide to another Pokémon. This one was much bigger than the previous two. It was blue with giant bumps on its arms. It smiled at Logan before sitting down next to a bird Pokémon with a large and colorful beak. It looked irritated by the big and blue Pokémon, so it stood up and walked away.

"Toucannon, you still don't like Seismitoad? You two are a team, so I hope you work on it while I'm gone."

He turned to more of his Pokémon. One was a large Bug-type that was hunched over. It flinched at any movements from the others. He slowly knelt down and then pet the Pokémon. Logan looked at the big cat-like Pokémon that sat next to it.

"Incineroar, I'm gonna need you to take care of Golisopod while I'm gone. Please don't bully him."

Logan stood up and looked around. He smiled at his Fraxure before he noticed that another one of his Pokémon refused to look at him. He approached the Pokémon, but it continued to turn its back to him.

"Crabominable? You okay?"

The Pokémon turned its face from him.

"You upset that I'm leaving?" Logan asked. He poked the Pokémon on its side.

"Crab!" it responded angrily.

Logan poked it a few more times, and it started to laugh. It turned around and wrapped its giant arms around Logan before bursting into tears.

"It'll be okay!" Logan said while holding the Pokémon tightly. "It'll be okay."

Logan let go of the hug and took one last look at his Pokémon.

"Guys, I've gotta go prove something to myself. We'll meet again soon," he said. He hid his face in his arm so they wouldn't see him cry. "I promise."

_Aunt Juniper, I'm sorry. I've decided to go off on my own this time around. I have a lot to prove. I've already said goodbye to my Pokémon. I'm sorry that I couldn't say goodbye to your face. I'll be arriving in Petalburg Town in a few days. Please keep my whereabouts a secret. Thanks for the pizza. Logan_, Juniper read out loud. She put Logan's note down back onto his desk and sighed. "Logan…"

* * *

**Present Day**

"You ran away without telling anyone?" Yurie asked.

Logan nodded. "I understand that it's selfish of me. I get that it wasn't okay, but I can't explain how I felt. I was always being compared to her, and all I wanted was to get away from that. I needed to find out who I was."

"I get that, but it definitely doesn't seem like the best method. She probably worried about you a lot," Yurie said.

"I know. I know it wasn't the best way to do it, but it was the only way I knew how. I'm weak. I didn't know how to tell her no," he responded. "I got the idea from my mom, actually. When she wanted to leave my dad, she just moved away. It worked for her."

"Well, now that she's here, you can talk to her about it. I mean, you've had a lot of time to think about it, so I'm sure you can tell her now?"

Logan nodded.

"Let's go to the Pokémon Center. I'm sure Himawari will know to meet us there." Yurie stood back up and held out her hand. Logan slowly grabbed it and then stood back up.

The duo alongside Mightyena went back to the Pokémon Center, and Logan immediately went back to the room. Eventually, Himawari returned, but he was alone. Yurie ran to him in the Pokémon Center lobby.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Well, once Asuna got the chance to heal her Pokémon, they had their battle, and it was a clean sweep. Luna is the real deal. One Pokémon was all it took," Himawari explained.

"Where is she now?"

"As soon as her match finished, I booked it. I didn't want her to know that I was watching, but I was curious."

Yurie frowned. "You are a creep."

"I'm not a creep! I was just curious!" he yelled. "For all we know, she's coming back here, but she could also already be on her way to wherever it is she's going next. How's Logan?"

"He's taking a nap."

The Pokémon Center doors slid open and Luna walked in. She glared at Himawari and Yurie.

"So, Logan ran away again, I take it?" she asked. She walked to the desk and handed her Poké Balls to Nurse Joy. "Did he tell you how he just left me all alone in Unova?"

"He mentioned that he needed to get away," Yurie said.

"Well, he got away!" Luna snapped. "And he couldn't even say goodbye to my face."

"You wouldn't let me," Logan said as he walked into the Pokémon Center lobby. "I tried to tell you that I wanted to go off on my own, and you wouldn't let me. Why did you come to Hoenn?"

"I'll be honest, when I first came here, it was because I was worried about you. I wanted to make sure that you were really okay. I was worried that you had gone crazy or something," she said. "But when I thought about it, I can now understand that you weren't my friend. So, my goal changed. I've come to the Hoenn Region to compete, and I want to show you just how strong of a trainer I am."

"I already understand that you're strong, Luna."

"This time, we'll travel separately, just like you wanted. And then when we meet at the league, you'll have no excuses," she snapped. "I have two more badges to go, and then I'm gonna spend my time training, and when it comes down to me and you at the Ever Grande Conference, I'll give you a reason to run."

"I'm sorry for what I did," Logan muttered. "I should have just told you."

"It's too late, Logan," she replied. "You reap what you sow."

Logan did not respond.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

A bit more of a dramatic chapter. One thing that I kind of want to touch on is Logan's depression. He's feeling certain things that he just can't explain. When I was his age, I had really bad depression, but I didn't know how to express it. It wasn't until a few years afterwards that I kind of understood what was going on. So, in Logan's head, he can justify everything, but he has trouble putting it into words.

Luna won't be appearing again until the end of the Hoenn Region, but the other rivals will start making more appearances soon.

Also, decided to post an extra chapter today. I had a lot of extra time and actually wrote 5 chapters in one day. I write this ahead of time and post slowly so I can keep a consistent schedule. Currently up to Chapter 49 chapters finished.


	26. Red Wagyu Donburi

**Chapter 26 - Red Wagyu Donburi**

* * *

The group spent a couple days in Lavaridge. Yurie convinced Logan to go to the various hot springs and sand baths, and within the week, he had calmed down from his incident. When he was ready, the group were off for their next city.

"So, my next gym is going to be in Petalburg. I wish I would have known that there was a gym there. Could have taken it on while we were in the area," Logan said while he read his Hoenn guidebook.

"And how about the gym after that?" Yurie asked. She looked at her PokéNav for contest information.

"I believe it's in Fortree."

"Fortree is near Lilycove which will have a contest next month! If you want to, I can go with you to Petalburg, and then we can go to Fortree and Lilycove together!"

Himawari grinned. "Always coming up with excuses."

"It sounds good to me! We can try more of Petalburg's food!" Logan replied. "This means that we have to go through Mauville though."

Himawari stopped walking. "Wait. Mauville?"

'Yeah! We can go visit your grandpa if you want to!" Logan said.

Himawari frowned. "Eh… I'm not sure."

"What's wrong, Himawari? I'm sure he'd love to see you!"

Himawari grimaced.

The two forced Himawari to go to the Mauville Gym with them, but as soon as they arrived, they were met with a surprise.

"Closed?" Himawari said as he read a sign that hung on the door. "Why's it closed?" He pushed on the door, and it didn't budge.

"Maybe he's taking a day off?" Yurie suggested.

Himawari shook his head. "No. Gramps doesn't do day offs unless it's the offseason." He pulled out his key and unlocked the door. The inside of the gym was dark. Himawari turned on the lights to battlefield, and he immediately noticed something. "You recognize anything?"

"What?" Logan asked while he looked at the battlefield. It was torn apart, as though there had just been a battle. "He didn't clean after his last battle?"

Himawari nodded. "Yeah. Not just that, but this looks like the remains of the battle he had with you. If that's the case, then he hasn't had a battle in awhile."

"What happened?" Yurie wondered.

Suddenly, there was a loud banging behind them, and they all turned. The doors burst open and Tessen came through with his Manectric. "Intruders!" he yelled. He noticed Himawari and his friends and then stopped. His eyes started to water, and then he ran to Himawari, embracing him. "Where did you go?!"

"Gramps…"

"You just disappeared. I thought that maybe you were kidnapped or you ran away or something!" Tessen yelled.

Himawari held his head down low. "I'm sorry. I should have told you."

"Wait, you just left?" Yurie asked. "You told us that you talked with him and he agreed to let you leave."

Himawari shook his head. "I lied."

"What's wrong, Himawari?" Tessen asked. "What did I do?"

Himawari backed away a few feet. "Don't feel bad, grandpa. I just really wanted to go out for a bit. I've spent the last two years training here every day, and it got boring. I never got to see the world like other trainers my age."

"I see…"

"And I've learned a lot from Logan and Yurie. It's been a great time traveling with them so far. I've seen more in this last month than I've seen in the last two years."

"You should have said something!" Tessen said with a grin. "I had no idea you wanted to travel! You always seemed so reserved!"

"What?" Himawari asked.

"If you wanted to travel, you should have said so!"

"I-"

"You can learn only so much from battling with gramps over and over again. You have to get out there and experience things!"

"I'm sorry that I never said anything."

"It's okay!" Tessen raised his finger into the air. "BUT!"

"But?"

"You're not going to get off that easy. I was very stressed and sad this past month. For the first week, I searched for you like crazy, but then I dove into my little side project to keep myself busy. You really worried me there," he said. "You have to make up for it!"

Himawari groaned. "How?"

Tessen pulled out a Poké Ball. "Show me what you've learned! You two can go sit in the stands and watch. Himawari, two on two sound good to you?"

Himawari nodded. "I-I guess."

Logan and Yurie hesitantly walked to the stands. They took their seats and looked out onto the battlefield.

"Okay, I'll start with Voltorb!" Tessen said while tossing his Poké Ball out onto the field. Voltorb appeared and rolled around.

Himawari threw his ball onto the field. "Koiru! It's on you!" Magnemite appeared. It spun its magnets around and then glared at Voltorb.

"You know, now that I think about it, I haven't actually seen a lot of what Himawari's Pokémon can do," Logan said.

Yurie thought for a second. "Well, we trained together for a bit, so I saw some things, but that was more on improving my skills."

"Make your move, Himawari," Tessen said.

"We'll start with Metal Sound!"

Magnemite floated a little bit higher and began to spin around his magnets. A screeching sound came from its body, making everyone wince.

"Sonic Boom!" Tessen yelled.

Voltorb rolled forward and sucked in energy. It suddenly released the energy, sending a shockwave across the field that sent Magnemite flying backwards.

"Follow it up with Thunderbolt!" Tessen ordered.

Voltorb unleashed a burst of electrical energy from its body, but Himawari was quick.

"Double Team!" he said.

Magnemite focused its energy and then began to multiply. The electrical attack hit one of its clones, making it disappear instantly, but within moments, thirty or so Magnemite filled the field.

"That's a new technique," Tessen commented. "But you should remember something, Himawari. Swift never misses!"

Voltorb started to spin its body and small stars of energy appeared. They shot off into the air and collided with one of the Magnemite. The clones all disappeared, and the real Magnemite fell from the sky. It landed with a hard thud, but forced itself back into the air by sheer willpower.

"You okay, Koiru?" Himawari asked.

The Pokémon nodded and then started to glow white. Its body shifted and changed, growing in size. The white energy burst from its body, and a new form had been born.

"Magneton!" Yurie said. "Sugoi!"

"Koiru, you evolved!" Himawari said with a big grin on his face. "You're amazing!"

"Truly is inspiring, Himawari!" Tessen shouted. "But it won't be enough! Voltorb, use Thunderbolt!"

Voltorb spun its body around and shot a giant surge of electrical energy from its body. The energy connected directly, but Magneton shook off the damage.

"Double Team!" Himawari ordered.

Magneton focused its energy and began to multiply. It circled around Voltorb, trapping the ball.

"Tri Attack!" Himawari ordered.

The spinning group of Magneton began to charge their attack. The real one released a beam of tri-colored energy at Voltorb. The energy crashed with the ball Pokémon and sent it into the air. Voltorb crashed down hard, unable to continue.

Tessen lifted his Poké Ball and returned Voltorb. "You have gotten stronger, but I'm not surprised." He looked down at his Manectric and nodded. Manectric then ran onto the field and barked. "We won't be taking it easy on you, Himawari!"

"We'll start with Metal Sound!"

Magneton floated forward and began to spin its magnets. The screeching sound from before blasted from its body, making everyone in the stadium cover their ears.

"Discharge!" Tessen yelled over the screeching noise.

Manectric ran forward with his eyes closed shut. He charged energy and then released a burst of blue electrical energy from his body. The energy crashed into Magneton, sending him to the floor.

"Now, follow with Flamethrower!" Tessen ordered.

"What?!" Himawari yelled in disbelief.

Manectric opened his mouth and a steady burst of flames burst forth. The flames engulfed Magneton. When the attack stopped, Magneton fainted.

"When did he learn that?" Himawari asked as he returned Magneton.

"I figured that after my battle with Logan that it couldn't hurt to teach Manectric some new moves," Tessen said. "Impressed?"

"Impressed but not surprised," he responded. He threw his next Poké Ball onto the field and his Shinx appeared. "Kolink, we have to battle with all we can!"

"Kolink still hasn't evolved, I see. Such a strong Pokémon, but it chooses to stay a Shinx," Tessen said.

Yurie pulled out her Pokédex and scanned Shinx. "Shinx. Level 45. Known moves: Thunder Fang, Thunderbolt, Crunch, and Ice Fang."

"It is at a high level!" she said.

Logan nodded. "But most of the moves require him to get up close and personal."

"Kolink, use Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge it and then use Wild Charge!" Tessen ordered.

The Shinx unleashed sparks from his tiny body, but Manectric easily weaved around the attack. He then charged forward, and his body became engulfed in electric energy.

"Crunch!" Himawari yelled.

Shinx opened his mouth and dark energy formed at his teeth. As soon as Manectric was within range, he slammed his jaws shut, and the energy clamped down onto the bigger Pokémon.

"Use Ice Fang!" Himawari ordered.

Light blue energy appeared from Shinx's mouth, and he lunged forward at the weakened Manectric, biting down on his leg. Manectric howled in pain, and then jumped back a few feet.

"Flamethrower," Tessen said.

Manectric looked down at his leg and let out a small stream of fire, melting the ice that had formed. He then glared at Shinx, who backed up a few feet. Manectric opened his mouth and released another blast of fire.

"Thunderbolt!" Himawari ordered.

The two attacks collided and then exploded. Smoke quickly filled the stadium.

"Kolink, use Ice Fang!" Himawari said.

Shinx dove into the smoke and disappeared. Manectric looked around worriedly. Shinx emerged from the smoke and bit down onto the back of Manectric's neck. The bigger Pokémon howled as ice began to form around his head.

"Discharge!" Tessen ordered.

A huge surge of electricity exploded from Manectric's body. The energy blasted Shinx off of him, sending the smaller Pokémon into the air.

"Shock Wave!" Tessen instructed.

Manectric opened his mouth and released a beam of energy straight towards Shinx. The attack connected directly, and Shinx fell to the ground. He slowly stood back up, but he was wobbly.

"Kolink, use Thunderbolt!" Himawari ordered.

Shinx jumped forward and unleashed his attack, but Tessen was quick.

"Wild Charge!" he yelled.

Manectric darted forward and ran through the electric energy that came from Kolink. He collided directly with Shinx, making the smaller Pokémon fall back in a heap. Kolink did not stand back up.

"Ah… too bad…" Yurie muttered.

Himawari ran out onto the field and grabbed his Pokémon. "You did good, Kolink. We'll just have to keep getting better."

Tessen returned his Pokémon to its ball and then walked to Himawari. "I was heartbroken when you disappeared, Himawari. But I can see that you need to travel for a bit. You need to do everything that you can to improve and to make the Mauville City gym the number one gym in Hoenn."

Yurie and Logan ran to the field.

"Logan, my boy! I'm gonna ask that you keep letting Himawari travel with you two. He needs all of the experience that he can get," Tessen said. He playfully punched Himawari on the arm.

Himawari sighed. "You make it sound like I'm weak…"

"And Yurie!" Tessen said in a suddenly loud voice.

"Yes?"

"If I remember correctly, you're a Pokémon Coordinator, right?" he asked.

She nodded.

"In a couple of days, we're going to be holding a contest at New Mauville, and I'd love for you to come and be a part of it!"

"New Mauville?" Yurie and Logan wondered out loud.

"Still working on that ol' place?" Himawari asked.

Tessen nodded. "Mauville City is a very loud place. There aren't a lot of wild Pokémon that come here, so I wanted to create more of a safe place for them. I envisioned a city that's more Pokémon friendly, so over the past few years, I've been working on a place just north of here."

Himawari laughed. "Gramps is the hardest working gym leader you'll ever meet. He's built an entire city by himself."

"Not by myself, but I have worked hard! And we're going to have a festival in a few days to celebrate the city opening its gates! This includes a Pokémon Contest!"

"If you guys are okay with it, then I'd like to enter," Yurie said. Logan and Himawari nodded.

"Fantastic! Himawari, I'm glad to have you back! Now, think you can help me clean up this field?"

Altogether, the group cleaned the field. When they were finished, Tessen invited them back to his house where he prepared them dinner.

"As much as I've loved traveling and trying the different foods of the cities that we've been to, I have missed Gramps' cooking," Himawari said while he washed his hands. He sat down at the table. "But I do want to try what food they have in Petalburg."

Tessen put down four bowls on the table. The bowls were filled with neatly lined up red meat on top of rice. In the middle of the bowl on top of the meat sat a geothermal-boiled egg.

"Red Wagyu Donburi!" Tessen announced. "It's a specialty in Mauville City!"

"It looks so delicious!" Yurie said while grabbing a bowl. She looked at Logan, who appeared to be confused. "The way to do it is to stick your chopsticks into the egg and then mix it altogether."

"Mix it altogether? Is this medium-rare?" Logan asked. He sighed. "My poor stomach…"

"Logan, don't be rude," Yurie scolded.

Tessen laughed. "You two are cute!"

"I know, right?" Himawari added.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I wanted to take a chapter to sort of focus on Himawari. I wasn't sure if I was going to have him continue traveling with the group or not before writing this chapter, but I decided to keep him on board at least for the entirety of Hoenn. He actually has a really important role later on.


	27. Kakigori

**Chapter 27 - Kakigori**

* * *

The group were allowed to stay at Tessen's house for their stay in Mauville. Yurie trained with Logan and Himawari at the gym while Tessen left to do press and bring more coordinators to the opening contest. When the day came, everyone traveled together in a bus to New Mauville. It was on the other side of the biking trail on its own little island. A mix of young trainers, adults with their children, and elderly people walked around with their Pokémon. New Mauville lacked the flashiness of Mauville; there were no billboards with loud advertisements. The younger trainers did not scream at one another in the streets. No one handed out fliers.

"I'm proud of what I've built. I hope that the cleanliness of New Mauville will have an influence on Mauville moving forward," Tessen said.

"Well, we'll just have to do our best to change things when I get back," Himawari exclaimed. Tessen grinned from ear to ear.

* * *

"Welcome one and all to the New Mauville Debut Contest!" Tessen announced into a microphone. "I hope that you're all having fun enjoying everything that New Mauville has to offer!" The crowd cheered. "That's good to hear! Now, I'm gonna hand you over to our official announcer for the contest today, Vivian!"

"Thank you, Tessen! Today marks the beginning of New Mauville, so you can bet that people will be after this very rare ribbon!" she said while holding the ribbon into the air. It was blue with yellow trim. "Whoever can get through the performance stage and then the battle stage will be awarded with the New Mauville Saisho Ribbon!" The crowd cheered.

Himawari leaned near Logan. "Saisho means first."

Logan sighed. "Thanks. For a second there, I thought she was having a stroke."

* * *

Yurie took a look around the locker room. She only recognized the little girl from the Slateport City contest, Nakamura Natsuki. She waved and the girl nodded. The different coordinators took their turns going onto the stage and performing their appeals. Yurie watched intently for awhile, and a few minutes before it was her turn, she walked into the hallway and released Masquerain from her ball.

"Okay, Masquerain. Today, you're gonna be doing your performance! There's no pressure, but let's definitely do our best! Are you ready?"

The Pokémon smiled and then excitedly flew up and down.

"Can we get our next performer, Kawahara Yurie to the stage?" the announcer's voice boomed. Yurie took a deep breath, returned Masquerain to her ball, and then ran to the stage.

The crowd went silent as she took her spot. She lifted her hand into the air, and with a flick, she released Masquerain. The crowd cheered. Masquerain flew over to Yurie and landed on her hand.

"Start with Bubblebeam!" Yurie ordered.

Masquerain flew into the air and began rapidly blasting bubbles from her mouth. She concentrated on the middle of the stage, and the bubbles began to gather up in a bunch.

"Quiver Dance!"

Masquerain started to move around rapidly, and she then she circled around the bubbles, creating afterimages of herself.

"Silver Wind!"

While the crowd focused on the after images of Masquerain circling around the mass of bubbles, the real Masquerain escaped into the air. She began to flap her wings, sending out a silver energy from them. The energy collided with the bubbles, making them pop instantly. Bursting from the bubbles, sparkly droplets of water and silver energy fell from the sky and showered the after images.

"Incredible! Yurie used her combo attack to create a beautiful display and shower her cute Pokémon with its own attacks!" Julian yelled into the microphone. "Everyone give it up for Yurie!" The crowd cheered as Yurie made her way to the back.

Masquerain landed on her shoulder as the two returned to the locker room. She watched her replay, and Natsuki walked up to her.

"You did solid, but I think you're gonna have to step up your game from now on," she said. "If I'm correct, that is now your third appeal with Masquerain. You shouldn't get too comfortable with just one Pokémon."

"How do you know that it's my third?" Yurie asked.

Natsuki shrugged. "Since you won the Slateport City contest, I've been keeping tabs on you. It's good to know everything you can about your opponents."

"I see. I feel bad because I don't know anything about you," Yurie muttered.

Natsuki smiled. "Well, that's to my advantage!"

The performance rounds quickly finished, and Julian asked for the crowd's attention. Everyone focused in on the screen.

"Unfortunately, only four people can move on, but we'd like to thank you all for competing today! You've truly helped to make today special!" Julian yelled into the microphone. "Now, let's see who we have moving on!"

The first picture was revealed, showing a girl a few years older than Yurie with shoulder-length brunette hair and brown eyes, Alison Martin. The next person revealed was the boy who beat Michika in the last contest, Jonathon Erikson. The third person was Nakamura Natsuki, who smiled and then crossed her arms.

"Good luck," she said to Yurie.

Yurie nodded and then watched the screen intently.

"Our final contestant moving onto the Battle Round is…" The card flipped and the crowd cheered. "Kawahara Yurie!"

Yurie sighed and then took a seat. "We made it. I was worried there for a second."

"We'll be facing each other in the first round, so it'd be best to prepare," Natsuki said. "You should know that I'm aware of your Pokémon, and I'll make any counter strategy necessary. Good luck, Kawahara-san." She walked away.

Yurie nodded. "She's really cute, but really intense."

Julian announced a 15 minute intermission. During this time, Himawari went to the concession stands while Logan ran down to the locker room to meet Yurie.

"How's the show from the stands?" Yurie asked as Logan entered.

"Always a joy to watch! I kind of wish I would have continued myself," Logan said with a laugh. "Himawari said that he was getting us Kakigori. Should I be afraid?"

Yurie shook her head. "Not at all! It's similar to what people in Unova call snow cones!"

"That's a relief," he said. "What's your strategy? We know that if you end up fighting Jonathon, he's no pushover. And I recognize that Natsuki girl."

Yurie nodded. "Natsuki was in the Slateport contest." She leaned in close and whispered. "I still don't have Lairon under control, and Minun hasn't mastered Shock Wave yet, so I'm going with Torchic. Don't want to take any chances, ya know?"

"You and Torchic are very insync, so that's probably the best route that you can take right now. Afterwards, we'll work with Himawari to get Minun's move perfected. And we'll work with Lairon whenever we can!"

"I should start preparing," she said. She looked around the room at the other trainers. Jonathon danced around with his Pokémon while the girl that Yurie was yet to meet, Alison, calmly sat and watched the replays. Natsuki was sitting and taking notes. "Not sure how many more chances I'll get, so I can't afford to lose anymore."

"Good luck!" Logan said. He gave her a high five and then left the room.

"Alright, coordinators! It's time to start! Can I please get Kawahara Yurie and Nakamura Natsuki to the stage to start round 1!" Julian announced into the microphone.

The two walked through the hallway together and then split off when they reached the stage. They both awaited for Julian's signal.

"Okay, trainers! Let's begin!" she said while putting her finger in the air.

"Torchic, it's your time!" Yurie said while pointing to the stage. Torchic happily ran out onto the field.

"Marill, you can do it!" Natsuki called while tossing her Poké Ball onto the stage. A blue and round Pokémon appeared. Its ears twitched.

"Torchic, start with Peck!"

Torchic began to run forward, as he beak started to glow a bright white.

"Aqua Tail!" Natsuki commanded.

Marill charged energy in her tail and then swung her body around. Water formed at the ball on her tail, and she smashed it into Torchic's body, flinging the Fire-type to the side.

"Now, Play Rough!"

Before Torchic could recover, Marill tossed a small ball of energy that she formed in her hands at the ground. Smoke filled the air and covered Torchic. Marill dove into the smoke and began to repeatedly crash into Torchic's body. Torchic flew out of the smoke and landed hard on the ground. He struggled, but stood back up. Yurie took a look at her points, noticing that 25% was already depleted.

"We gotta play smarter," she said to herself.

"Bubblebeam!" Natsuki yelled.

"Dodge with Quick Attack!" Yurie responded.

Marill unleashed her attack, but Torchic easily maneuvered around the attack. She tackled into Marill, and then both Pokémon fell down.

"Peck!" Yurie ordered.

"Aqua Tail!"

Torchic lunged forward once more as Marill swung her tail around. This time Torchic leapt over the tail and nailed Marill directly. Marill stumbled back and held her face.

"Fire Spin!" Yurie yelled.

At close-range, Torchic released flames from her mouth. The flames swirled and then surrounded Marill, making her disappear completely.

"Get out of there!" Natsuki called. "Bounce!"

Suddenly, Marill burst from the flames and soared through the air. She began to plummet straight towards Torchic.

"Give it all that you can with Peck!"

Torchic nodded and then jumped into the air. His beak started to glow, and both of the Pokémon collided. They landed back on the ground and stumbled. Marill lost her footing and fell on her behind. The buzzer sounded, and everyone turned their attention to the screen. The timer had reached zero, and by a fraction of points, Yurie had inched out Natsuki.

"It looks like your winner is Kawahara Yurie!" the announcer yelled. "She and Torchic will be moving onto the final round!"

Natsuki sighed and then returned Marill. She bowed to the crowd and then returned to the hallway with Yurie.

"It was a good battle," Yurie said. "Thank you!"

Natsuki nodded. "I am disappointed, Kawahara-san. Unfortunately, this was my last chance to get my foot into the door for Hoenn contests. I have to drop out of the running now."

"You're giving up?"

"Unfortunately. I don't have enough time to collect five ribbons. I haven't won a single contest since I've been in Hoenn," she said. "If you win this contest, that'll put you at three, and even then, you'll be stressed for time to get your last two."

"You really think so?" Yurie asked.

"Pretty positive. But I believe you can do it. You're pretty talented. I'll be rooting for you in the finals," she said as the two returned to the locker room. She picked up her bag. "I'm heading back to Johto for awhile. Can't hurt to take the time to train up. Hopefully you make it to the Grand Festival, Kawahara-san. Good luck." With that, she left Yurie alone.

The other two coordinators began their battle. Jonathon used his Pignite while Alison used a small brown Pokémon Yurie had not seen before. She scanned it with her Pokédex.

"Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon. Eevee has an unstable genetic makeup that suddenly mutates due to the environment in which it lives. Radiation from various stones causes this Pokémon to evolve," it chimed.

"It's so cute!" she said while she watched the battle.

The Eevee quickly defeated Pignite in a Battle Off, and Julian announced a five minute break. The two trainers returned to the backroom, and Jonathon sighed.

"It's too bad we couldn't battle, Yurie!" he said. He wiped tears from his eyes. "Unfortunately, I won't be continuing. Haven't picked up a single ribbon this year, so it's back to Unova to train for me!" He picked up his back and then gave Yurie a thumbs up. "Good luck to both of you!" He then left the room.

"It really is getting intense," Yurie noted. She nervously put her hands together and popped her knuckles. "I really can't afford to lose."

Alison smiled. "We haven't met. I'm Alison. I'm from Kalos." She held out her hand. She wore a pink tank top and a flowing white skirt. In her hair was a pink ribbon that matched a pink ribbon on Eevee's head.

"Yurie from Hoenn," she replied. She shook her hand nervously.

"Don't be too nervous, Yurie. We're all feeling that pressure right now," Alison said. "As long as you do your best, we can both make it to the Grand Festival."

"You're really nice," Yurie said with a sigh. "But we are competing against each other."

Alison nodded. "I haven't forgotten, but I want you at your best, so it's good for us to both calm down. I'm nervous too."

Yurie smiled.

The time went by quickly, and both of the trainers were called to the stage. They both ran to their respective sides and waited for Julian's signal.

"It's time to begin our final round between Kawahara Yurie from Littleroot Town and Alison Martin from the Kalos region! Trainers, get ready! Begin!" Julian said as the point bars appeared and the timer began.

"Eevee, you can do this!" Alison said. She pointed forward and then clicked her fingers together. Eevee jumped off of her shoulders and ran onto the field.

Yurie looked down at Torchic. "Do your best!"

The two Pokémon stared each other down and waited for their trainer's commands.

"Swift, Eevee!"

"Fight back with Fire Spin!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks, and the energy collided in the middle of the stage. It exploded, sending waves across throughout the crowd.

"Shadow Ball!" Alison ordered.

"Shadow Ball?"

A ball of dark energy formed at Eevee's mouth. She jumped into the air and then shot the ball at Torchic.

"Dodge and then use Peck!"

The ball of energy crashed right in front of Torchic, but the Fire-type quickly recovered and then darted forward. When Eevee landed back on the ground, Torchic jabbed his beak into her. Eevee let out a cry but then jumped back.

"Quick Attack!" Yurie yelled.

"Freezy Frost!"

As Torchic ran forward and began to pick up speed, Eevee opened her mouth and released a stream of light blue energy from her mouth. The light blue energy overtook Torchic and then blew him back a few feet. He landed in a heap, but stood back up and looked at Eevee.

"I've never seen that move before," Logan said.

"Shadow Ball and Freezy Frost combo!" Alison said.

Eevee formed two balls of dark energy at her mouth and then unleashed them into the air. She then sucked in and released the blue energy once more.

_It's called Freezy Frost, which makes me think it's an Ice-type move. That means that Fire-type moves will be strong against it. At the very least, I can cancel it out._ Yurie thought. "Fire Spin!"

Torchic unleashed flames from his mouth. The flames swirled into the air and connected with Eevee's attacks. As Yurie planned, it cancelled it out.

"Quick Attack!" she ordered.

Torchic burst through the smoke that the attacks created, a trail of white light followed him. He crashed into Eevee, knocking her back a few feet.

"Glitzy Glow!" Alison called.

Eevee started to glow pink, and a giant ball of pink energy surrounded her. The ball suddenly exploded, sending a wave of pink energy across the stadium. The wave overtook Torchic, and he fell back once more.

"Torchic!" Yurie yelled. Torchic responded by standing back up and shaking his head.

"Torchic truly is resilient," Logan commented. "They've come together as a team."

"We have no choice but to do our new move! Torchic, use Flame Burst!" Yurie said.

Torchic gripped at the ground with his talons. He sucked in air and then unleashed a small burst of flames onto the field. The flames suddenly exploded, creating a giant wave of fire. The fire engulfed Eevee, and the Normal-type shrieked.

"Peck!" Yurie ordered.

When the flames died down, Torchic emerged. He rammed his beak into Eevee, sending her into the air. She landed hard in front of Alison, but stood back up slowly. Before Alison or Yurie could give their next orders, the buzzer sounded. Everyone turned their attention to the screen.

"Well, would you look at that! By just the skin of her teeth, Yurie was able to eliminate all of Alison's points!" Julian announced. The crowd cheered as the points were revealed. Yurie had roughly 5% of her points left while Alison's were depleted completely.

"I did it…" Yurie mumbled. "I did it!" She ran out onto the field and grabbed ahold of Torchic tightly. "You were perfect, Torchic!"

Alison knelt down to Eevee and pet her head. "Next time, Eevee. This is only a small setback." She walked to Yurie and held out her hand. "You did wonderful, Yurie. Hopefully I'll see you in the Grand Festival."

Yurie shook her hand. "You're not leaving like the others?"

She shook her head. "I'm one ribbon away from five, so nope. I'll get there. I promise. And I know that I'll see you there too!"

"What a wonderful display of sportsmanship!" Julian said while she approached the two. She held up Yurie's hand. "Congratulations to our winner, Kawahara Yurie!" She held out a small case that held the blue and yellow ribbon. "This New Mauville Saisho Ribbon is yours!"

Yurie held the ribbon in her hand and smiled. She held it into the air. "We did it!"

Once the contest ended, the group, now joined by Alison, continued to partake in the festivities at New Mauville. At night time, they all returned to Mauville City, and they booked one night at the Pokémon Center. The four sat in the lobby while Nurse Joy checked on their Pokémon.

"So, this is your fifth year as a trainer?" Yurie asked Alison.

She nodded. "Yep! Started in Kalos, and I've been around the world doing contests since."

"That means that your time as a traveler is probably almost up," Himawari said quietly.

"What do you mean by that?" Yurie asked.

Logan came to the table holding a carrier with four cups in it. The cups were full of blue shaved ice. "I brought Kakigori!" He set them down for each of the trainers.

Alison took one. "Most trainers go out on their own for five or six years and then they go back home. If one is lucky enough to win a conference or a grand festival, then they can usually make a career as a trainer, but a lot of people end up focusing on non training related jobs."

"I see…" Yurie said. "What do you plan on doing when you get back?"

"I'm gonna win the Hoenn Grand Festival, and then I'll go from there!" Alison replied.

"Logan, when you finish your journey, what's your goal?" Yurie asked.

Logan pulled the small plastic spoon from his mouth. "I want to become a champion of a region. I have three or four years to make that possible. And you, Yurie?"

Yurie thought on it for a second. "I don't know. I always imagined I'd work for my mom's flower shop."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Logan said while taking another bite of his shaved ice.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Alison Martin is an OC submitted by EeviumZ. I'll try to bring her back for later contests if possible.

Other than that, it looks like Yurie is now more than halfway there! Healing in Hoenn is roughly ⅓ finished now. I've actually started working on the last arc a little bit earlier. It's the second third of the story I haven't worked on yet.


	28. Yude Takezakigani

**Chapter 28 - Yude Takezakigani**

* * *

"So, wait. You're telling me that you have info on all of the gym leaders in Hoenn?" Logan asked while the three ate lunch. He struggled to crack open the hard shell on the food they were eating.

It had been roughly a week since Yurie's contest. The three had split from Alison and quickly traveled to Oldale Town where they were enjoying some of the local food.

Himawari grabbed Logan's food and used a small tool to pop it open. "Yeah. I would sit in on their meetings during the off season, so I've met them all. I also studied their strategies. One of the biggest things a gym leader is supposed to do is develop their own unique strategy, so I wanted to make sure I didn't copy anyone."

Logan fiddled with his food and pulled the white meat out with his chopsticks. He stuffed what little of it was in his mouth. "Think you could give me some pointers? Also, this seems like a lot of effort for so little meat!"

"It's Yude Takezakigani, and it's very delicious and expensive!" Yurie said. "It's one of Oldale Town's specialties, so enjoy as much of it as you can!"

"I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with giving you pointers on the gyms. That feels like cheating," Himawari said with a sneer. "Also, I thought that you were some kind of ace trainer of sorts, so why would you want my help?"

Logan sighed. "You can never be too prepared."

"The leader of Petalburg is Senri," Himawari said. "Man, this is delicious!"

"Her name isn't going to help me."

"Senri is a man. He uses Normal-types," Himawari added. "If I remember correctly, he uses an insanely strong Pokémon, and a lot of people underestimate him because he's a Normal-type gym leader."

"I won't underestimate him if that's the case," Logan said.

"Senri actually beat Gramps almost every time that they had exhibitions. You may not be ready just yet."

"I don't know a lot about battling or gym leaders, but even I've heard of Senri before," Yurie said. "But that's because he's only a couple towns away."

"Really strong and Normal-types. I have Mudkip, Mightyena, Vigoroth, Manectric, and Vibrava. I'm lacking a type advantage."

Yurie stuffed some meat into her mouth. "Well, if it's a Normal-type, that means that they'll be weak to Fighting-type attacks! Do you think you'll be able to teach any of your Pokémon one of those?"

Logan looked at Yurie flabbergasted. "Did you just call it Fighting-type?"

The three finished their meal and then were off for Petalburg once more. At this point, Route 102 had become too familiar to Logan.

"This is where I caught Masquerain!" Yurie told Himawari. "Do you remember that, Torchic?" Torchic nodded and then looked over at the pond where he had his fit which caused the group of Masquerain to attack. Yurie lifted her Poké Ball and released Masquerain. "You can go and visit your friends while we're here. I'm sure that they'd love to see you again!" Masquerain cheered and then zipped off.

Logan looked at Mightyena. "This is also where I found Poochyena when he was abandoned by his pack. I wrapped him in that little Wailmer towel and then ran to the Pokémon Center."

Suddenly, Masquerain came flying back to the group. She looked worried and fluttered around erratically.

"What's wrong?" Yurie asked. Masquerain turned to her herd of Pokémon and motioned.

Logan looked out at the pond and noticed that there were small black Pokémon running towards the group of Surskit and Masquerain. They quickly circled around the Bug-types.

The group ran to the edge of the pond, and Logan called out. "Stop it!" The black Pokémon turned towards Logan and his friends.

"It's a group of Mightyena and Poochyena," Himawari said.

Logan's Mightyena took a close look at them. He backed up a few feet.

"You okay?" Logan asked. Mightyena held his head down.

The lead Mightyena snarled and then jumped in front of the trainers. He grinned at Logan's Poochyena.

"How convenient," Himawari said. "Let me guess..."

"This is Mightyena's old pack," Logan answered. He stood in front of his Pokémon. "You should stop picking fights with Pokémon."

The Mightyena snarled. Two more Mightyena joined him at this sides.

"Mightyena attack in perfect synchronization, so the more of them that pile up on us, the less chance we have of winning," Logan said. He pulled out two Poké Balls. "We have to be quick."

"Kolink and Hikari, help us!" Himawari said while releasing Shinx and Raichu.

Manectric and Vigoroth appeared at Logan's side, and Masquerain and Torchic prepared to battle. The Mightyena suddenly darted forward.

"Kolink, Ice Fang! Hikari, Thunder Punch!"

"Manectric, use Discharge! Vigoroth, use Aerial Ace!"

"Fire Spin and Bubblebeam!"

Shinx, Raichu, and Vigoroth all jumped forward and used their attacks, knocking a few of the Dark-types backwards. The other three Pokémon released the energy of their attacks, engulfing a few of the Dark-types in electric, fire, and water, causing a small explosion. When the smoke cleared, only the lead Mightyena stood. He glared at Logan.

"Back off," Logan said through gritted teeth. His Mightyena then stepped forward and stood in front of him. Mightyena growled at the leader.

"I think he wants a rematch," Himawari said.

The lead Mightyena opened his mouth and dark energy started to form. He released the dark energy towards Logan's Mightyena.

"Dig!"

He leapt into the air and then quickly dove into the ground, creating a hole, and without hesitation, Logan made his next command.

"Thunder Fang!"

Mightyena burst from the ground. His jaws sparked with electricity, and he bit down on the leader's neck. He shifted his body and then tossed the leader back. The leader winced and then barked. Two more Mightyena joined him at his side. They then lunged forward.

"Iron Tail!"

Mightyena jumped into the air and twisted his body. He smashed his tail into both of the Mightyena, tossing them back. The leader took this opportunity, and he rushed. He crashed into Logan's Mightyena, but it barely phased him.

"Snarl!" Logan ordered.

Logan's Mightyena opened his mouth and the dark energy formed into a ball. He released the energy, and it exploded onto the leader Mightyena. The leader collapsed once the dust from the explosion faded, and Logan's Mightyena howled into the air. The other Mightyena slowly circled the group.

"Looks like they're not finished," Himawari said.

The group's Pokémon circled their trainers and prepared to defend them. Suddenly, the Mightyena started to back away. The lead Mightyena stood up and barked orders, but none of the other Mightyena listened. One of the Mightyena motioned over to Logan's, and the group all slowly bowed. The leader barked again, but it fell on deaf ears.

"They may have just accepted your Mightyena as the new leader," Himawari said. "Ain't that cool!"

Logan smiled and then looked at his Pokémon.

The lead Mightyena howled once more, and then he slowly started to move forward. With one quick motion, he leapt towards Logan's Mightyena.

"Watch out!" Logan yelled.

Logan's Mightyena jumped into the air and avoided the leader's attack. He twisted his body and smashed an Iron Tail into his foe's back. The leader fell to the ground, and Logan's Mightyena stood above him. He lifted his claw and glared at the leader.

"Mightyena, please don't…" Logan mumbled.

Logan's Mightyena slowly lowered his claw. He barked at the leader and then at the others. Two of the other Mightyena came over and helped to lift the leader back on his feet. They carried him away. The other Mightyena from the group ran over to Logan's Mightyena and cheered. Some of them licked his face, and Logan's Mightyena grinned.

"They've accepted him back," Yurie said. "That's good, right?"

Logan nodded. He looked down at Mightyena's Poké Ball. "Yeah… It's a good thing."

Logan's Mightyena broke free from the group and then ran over to his trainer. He looked up at Logan and wagged his tail.

"You found your group again, and it looks like they love you," Logan said. He knelt down and pet Mightyena's fur. "What do you wanna do?"

Mightyena barked. A look of concern came over his face.

"I won't be mad if you want to go back to your pack. I'll understand completely."

Mightyena looked back at his former group and then at Logan. He leapt onto Logan and licked his face.

"I think Mightyena chooses you," Himawari said with a laugh.

"Oh yeah?"

Mightyena barked happily.

The group let Mightyena and Masquerain have fun with their old friends for awhile. Once the sun began to set, they set up camp and then went to bed.

* * *

The next morning, everyone woke up early, and they were off as soon as they were ready.

Logan took a look down Route 102 through the fog that filled the area. "It's cooler now. I remember when I first came to Hoenn, I hated this area. It was way too hot."

"I guess that's Hoenn for you," Himawari said.

The three continued down Route 102, and soon the sun came up, and it began to heat up. The fog turned into a mist which stuck to the trainers' bodies.

Logan wiped sweat from his brow. "It's so humid…" He stopped to take a swig of his water, and he looked over at a nearby trainer who was packing up camping gear. Right next to the trainer was a giant moth Pokémon with red wings. Logan grinned and ran over to the trainer. "Mister!"

The trainer, who appeared to be a few years older than them, turned.

Logan looked at the giant Pokémon. "A Volarona! I've only ever seen one other before!"

Yurie and Himawari ran to catch up to Logan. Himawari took one look at the Pokémon and then took a step back behind Yurie.

"You have to be a really strong trainer to have a Volcarona!" Logan said.

The trainer smiled. "Thank you. Your accent. Are you from Unova?" Logan nodded. "Me too! My name is John! John Manson! I feel like I recognize you..."

"My name is Logan Stephenson!"

John thought for a moment and then it all came to him. "You competed in the Manalo Conference! I remember seeing you on TV. I also finished in the semi-finals last year, but it was in the Lily of the Valley Conference in Sinnoh."

Yurie smiled and then leaned towards Himawari. "It's so cute to see Logan talk with other foreigners. He gets so excited," she whispered.

"Where are you guys off to?" John asked.

"We're going to Petalburg City for my gym battle! And then we'll be heading north for my friend, Yurie's, Pokémon Contest!" Logan explained. He motioned towards Yurie.

"You're doing contests?" Yurie nodded. "Me too! I figured I'd give it a shot in Hoenn, since they were supposedly made here. Haven't actually competed yet though."

"The season is already almost halfway over though," Himawari said. "Think you have enough time?"

John nodded. "Oh yeah! If I win every contest that I enter from now until the Grand Festival, I'll be fine."

"You're very sure of yourself," Himawari muttered.

"It takes a strong trainer to raise a Pokémon like Volcarona, so I think I'll be fine." John looked at Logan who wouldn't stop staring at his Pokémon. "Want to try a battle, Logan?"

_I don't have any Pokémon even close to the level that this Volcarona would be at, but it can be a good training exercise for them._ Logan thought. "Yeah! I'll give it a go!"

"Great!"

The two trainers separated to make a small space for their battle. John pointed forward, and Volcarona flew into position. Logan thought for a moment, and he looked at his various Poké Balls. He finally made his decision and chose Manectric. The Pokémon appeared and howled at his opponent.

"You can make the first move," John said.

"Got it! Manectric, use Quick Attack!"

Manectric blasted forward, and before John could make his command, Manectric collided with Volcarona. It barely phased the Pokémon though, who just shook off the damage.

"Bug Buzz!"

Volcarona began to flap its wings. A green energy blasted from its wings and whipped up a small storm of wind across the area. Manectric was flung back, but he landed on his legs and quickly recovered.

"Let's try Overheat!" John ordered.

Volcarona formed red energy in front of its body, and then shot the energy in a long stream of flames at Manectric.

"Dodge and use Thunder Fang!"

Manectric easily moved around the fire attack and then ran towards Volcarona. He jumped into the air and then clamped his electrified jaws down onto one of Volcarona's wings.

"Fly into the air and shake it off!"

Without missing a beat, Volcarona soared into the air. It twisted its body, flinging Manectric downwards.

"Psychic!"

Volcarona blasted a purple energy from its body. The energy collided with Manectric, pushing him faster towards the ground. Manectric landed hard, and it didn't stand back up. Logan ran to his Pokémon while Volcarona slowly returned to its trainer.

"Manectric's speed is amazing," John said. "But I think that maybe Volcarona's level is too high for a fair fight."

Logan returned Manectric to his Poké Ball. "You did well." He looked at John. "Every experience is a learning experience!"

"I'd love a full battle at your best!" John smiled. "So, I assume the three of you are traveling together, right?"

Himawari nodded. "As long as they keep making excuses," he mumbled.

John put his bag on the ground and opened it up. He pulled out a bundle of blankets and folded them over, revealing an egg.

"A Pokémon egg?" Logan wondered.

John walked over to them. "Yeah! I found this egg a couple months ago in Sinnoh. It still hasn't hatched yet."

Yurie reached out and touched the egg softly, caressing its light green surface.

"I'll be honest, I've never had any experience with a baby Pokémon, and since I'm about to head out on a pretty strict time schedule for my contests, I've been looking for a trainer to give this to," John said.

"I wonder what's inside," Yurie quietly mumbled while looking at it.

"I couldn't find its parents when I discovered it, and I didn't want to just leave it alone, but I'm a bit in over my head with it. Logan, if you'd like to, would you take this egg?"

Logan looked at the egg. "This is all so sudden. I'm not sure if I'm ready to be a parent yet."

"I'll help you!" Yurie said.

Himawari shrugged. "I think it'd be a fun experience to raise a baby Pokémon."

"Then it's settled, I guess," Logan said while reaching for the egg. "We'll take it off of your shoulders."

"That's a relief! It should hatch soon!" John explained. He handed over the egg and then picked up his bag. "Yurie, I guess that I'll be seeing you in the future. Hopefully we get to battle in the Grand Festival."

"I'm excited!" Yurie said. She looked at Volcarona. "But I have a lot of training to do!"

The group said goodbye to John, who flew away on Volcarona. Then they continued on their path and were soon in Petalburg City and able to check in at the Pokémon Center and book a room. Yurie held tightly onto the egg the whole time, and when they got to their room, she created a little nest of blankets.

"I wonder if it'll be cute," Yurie said.

"Or maybe strong!" Logan added.

Himawari smiled. "I'm hoping that it's an Electric-type!"

Whatever it was, they would find out sooner than later.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

A bit of a different chapter this time around. Sorry if this one came off as a bit weirder. I actually had no plans for it, and then I came up with the Mightyena bit, and midway through writing it, I received a suggestion from a reader, The Imprisoned of Hell, to add in his character giving the group an egg. I figured Wynaut, and now we're here. We'll see how the egg affects the rest of the story. And just to make sure that I'm clear, John is an OC from The Imprisoned of Hell, so thank you for that.

Next chapter, Senri (Norman).


	29. Bento

**Chapter 29 - Bento**

* * *

Logan woke up early before the others and started to train with his Pokémon at the Pokémon Center courtyard. He had used one of his TM's from his previous journeys to teach Vigoroth a new attack, and they continuously practiced it against one of the training dummies that the Pokémon Center offered.

"Now!" Logan yelled.

Vigoroth's claw lit up, and she lunged towards three of the moving targets. With one swift motion, she destroyed all of them. She grinned and then blew some air onto her claws as they cooled down.

"I think you have it," Logan said. "You should rest for a bit before the battle."

Vigoroth nodded and then sat down.

"How's it coming along?" Yurie asked as she brought breakfast to the outside. She placed a couple of dishes on the picnic table around the newly received egg while it basked in the sun.

"Vigoroth has it mastered. We just gotta make sure that she gets a proper breakfast!"

"Well, for us, I made a simple bento! It's got rice, some meatballs, and little sandwiches! I mixed some of the meatball sauce with the Pokémon food. I hope they enjoy it," Yurie explained. She set down a few bowls for the Pokémon. Lairon glared at the food and then turned away.

Logan knelt down and offered Lairon an orange. "Try this, Lairon! It's a simple orange, and it'll be good for you!"

The Pokémon scowled at Logan but still took the fruit. He ate it slowly.

"Do Steel-types like oranges?" Yurie wondered.

Logan grinned. "Everyone loves oranges, Yurie!"

Himawari joined the group, and they all ate their brunch. When they were done, Logan had Nurse Joy check his Pokémon once more, and then they were off for the gym. Petalburg City's gym was one of the more basic looking gyms Logan had ever seen. The walls were made of cream colored stone, and they were flat with no designs to them. The floor in the entranceway was made of wood, and when they walked in, they were greeted by a man, probably in his 30's.

"Hello!" he said with a loud voice. "I assume that you're here to challenge my gym!" He looked over at the trainers and took notice of Yurie. "Yurie? Is that you?"

Yurie nodded. "It's nice to see you again, Senri-san."

Senri walked to the trainers. "I haven't seen you in two years! Not since my daughter left for her journey alongside your brother and his friend. How have you been?"

"I'm okay. I'm a coordinator now."

"That's amazing!"

Yurie motioned to Logan. "This is my friend, Logan. He's here to challenge you today!"

Senri examined Logan and grinned. "Alright, Logan. Let's do this! How does 3-on-3 sound?"

Logan gave him a thumbs up. "Let's do it!"

The group moved into the battlefield area, and Himawari and Yurie walked to the stands. A referee who wore a plain white t-shirt got Logan's information and then walked to his stand. He raised two flags. "This battle between challenger, Logan Stephenson, and Gym Leader, Senri, will now commence. It will be 3 on 3, and only the challenger can make substitutions. Begin!"

"Linoone, you're up!" Senri said while he tossed his Poké Ball onto the field. A slender Pokémon with white and brown fur appeared.

"Linoone, the Rushing Pokémon. Linoone always runs full speed and only in straight lines. If facing an obstacle, it makes a right-angle turn to evade it. This Pokémon is very challenged by gently curving roads," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"We'll start with Mudkip!" Logan said. He pulled his Poké Ball from his belt and released his Pokémon. Mudkip appeared and danced around a little bit. "Mudkip, use Water Gun!"

"Headbutt, Linoone!"

As Mudkip used his attack, Linoone darted forward. He blasted through Mudkip's attack, and then rammed his skull into the Water-type, sending it backwards. Mudkip landed back on his legs and then prepared for Logan's next command.

"Slash, Linoone!"

Linoone's claws began to glow, and he slashed towards Mudkip.

"Mud-Slap!"

Mudkip jumped backwards before sending liquid energy into the ground. He lifted some of the mud that he created and flung it towards Linoone, getting a direct hit.

"Yes!" Logan said. "Now, Water Gun!"

Mudkip released another stream of water from his mouth. This time, he got in a direct hit, sending the Normal-type backwards. Linoone landed hard, but quickly recovered.

"Linoone, use Belly Drum!" Senri ordered.

Linoone stood up on his two hind legs. His small arms began to glow, and he started to smack his belly repeatedly, creating a loud drumming noise throughout the room. Linoone's eyes began to glow red, and he slowly went back to a battle position.

_Now Linoone has really increased its offensive power, but it probably can't take another hit._ Logan thought.

"Slash!"

Linoone howled and then ran forward.

"Rock Throw!" Logan yelled.

Mudkip focused his energy and lifted rocks from the ground. He tossed them into the air, and then began to fall haphazardly onto the ground. Linoone was unable to avoid all of them, and took a huge blow to the back. Before he could pick up speed again, he was hit with one more, and he keeled back.

The referee nodded and held up his flag. "Linoone is unable to battle. Mudkip wins."

Senri returned his Linoone. "Linoone has trouble turning, so using a move that scatters around the field like Rock Throw was a good technique. My next Pokémon doesn't share that weakness though." He threw a Poké Ball into the air, and a Vigoroth appeared. It roared at Mudkip and Logan and then moved around as though it was agitated.

_Yikes. If I know Vigoroth well, then this one won't be an easy challenge. I definitely shouldn't underestimate it._ Logan thought. "Mudkip, come back." Mudkip nodded and then ran to his side next to Mightyena. "We'll go with our own Vigoroth!" Vigoroth burst onto the battlefield, and she howled.

"Your Vigoroth looks strong, but we're not afraid to take it on," Senri said.

"She's well trained. Vigoroth, start with Slash!"

"Respond with your own Slash!" Senri commanded.

The two Pokémon ran forward, their claws glowing red. They swung their arms at one another and collided. They both glared and growled at each other in an attempt at intimidation.

"Fury Swipes!" Logan yelled.

His Vigoroth pulled back a little bit and then prepared to start swinging her claws rapidly.

"Faint Attack!"

As Logan's Vigoroth lunged forward, Senri's Vigoroth jabbed out his right claw weakly. Logan's Vigoroth stopped her attack and focused in on the claw. With a sudden quick movement, Senri's Vigoroth smashed his left claw into Logan's Pokémon, knocking her far back.

"Man, everytime," Logan muttered.

"Use Slash!" Senri commanded.

His Vigoroth leapt into the air and prepared to strike.

"Aerial Ace!"

Logan's Vigoroth lowered her head and then jumped up. She put her claws together and struck from below, sending Senri's Vigoroth even further into the air. He fell back to the ground pretty hard but slowly stood back up.

"Vigoroth, use Encore!" Senri ordered.

Senri's Vigoroth grinned and then began to clap his claws together wildly. A white energy formed over Logan's Vigoroth, and she groaned.

"Oh no…" Logan mumbled.

"What's Encore?" Yurie asked.

"It restricts your opponent to only using the last attack that they used," Himawari said. "Vigoroth will be stuck using Aerial Ace for awhile."

"But that means that she can't use her new attack…"

"If we're gonna be stuck with it, might as well use it as much as we can," Logan said. "Aerial Ace!"

"Slash!"

The two Pokémon dashed forward and clashed in the middle of the battlefield again. They backed away a few feet, and both took in deep breaths. The trainers repeated their commands, and the Pokémon followed suit. They repeatedly clashed into one another. After one really strong blow, both of the Pokémon fell backwards and glared at each other.

_As long as I'm stuck using Aerial Ace, I can't get in a strong attack. We gotta work around and get in one decisive blow._ Logan thought.

"Vigoroth, put all of your power into Slash!"

"Wait for it," Logan said.

As Senri's Vigoroth moved his arm to strike once more, Logan made his command.

"Duck and Aerial Ace!"

Logan's Vigoroth quickly moved under the other Vigoroth's arm. She put her claws together and then uppercutted her opponent, sending the gym leader's Pokémon into the air. Senri's Vigoroth crashed down hard, and the battle was decided.

"Senri's Vigoroth is unable to battle. Logan's Vigoroth wins."

Senri looked at his Pokémon with a shocked expression on his face. He returned Vigoroth and then pulled out his next Poké Ball. "I should probably warn you, Logan. My next Pokémon doesn't lose too often. Go, Slaking!" A giant Pokémon appeared on the field. It looked at Vigoroth, yawned, and then immediately laid on its side.

"What?" Logan said while he watched the Pokémon. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Slaking, the Lazy Pokémon. Slaking spends all day lying down and lolling about. It eats grass growing within its reach. If it eats all the grass it can reach, this Pokémon reluctantly moves to another spot," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"Doesn't really seem like a threat," Yurie noted.

The white energy around Vigoroth faded away, and she took a sigh a relief.

_Encore is gone, so now we can bust out our new move. No reason to keep stalling anymore._ Logan thought. "Vigoroth, use Brick Break!"

Vigoroth's claw lit up once more, and she bounded forward. She swung her arm in a downwards motion towards Slaking.

"Faint Attack!"

Slaking looked up towards Vigoroth and weakly jabbed forward with his left arm.

"Don't fall for it!" Logan yelled.

Vigoroth stopped her attack and then quickly ducked under Slaking's right arm, avoiding the attack. She then lunged forward and smashed her arm into Slaking, but he barely reacted. Vigoroth jumped backwards to avoid any more attacks. Slaking yawned and grinned at Logan.

"One more Brick Break!"

Vigoroth jumped forward again and repeated her motions. This time, she slammed her arm into Slaking's jaw before Senri could give him a command. As soon as her attack landed, she backed away again.

Senri grinned.

"No counter attack? Are you that confident in your Pokémon's strength? Or are you messing with me?" Logan asked.

"Actually, Slaking's ability prevents him from attacking twice in a row. He essentially has to take a little break after every attack," Senri explained. "Every movement that Slaking makes uses up a lot of his energy."

"I see…"

"But it's no issue," Senri said. "Slaking, use Slack Off!"

Slacking opened his mouth opened wide and yawned. His body started to glow and sparkle. When he finished his yawn, the energy disappeared. He then grinned at Logan once more.

"And it looks like we're back to tip top shape," Senri said.

_He healed. I've never met a Pokémon like this. He takes damage like it's nothing, and then he has a move that allows him to heal. If I can't finish this fast, then I'm in trouble._ Logan thought. He looked at Vigoroth who took deep breaths. "Vigoroth, we have to keep up the pressure! Use Brick Break once more!"

Vigoroth roared and then ran forward, her claws glowing.

"Focus Punch."

Slaking rolled his body over, and he stood up. He lifted his fist, and it began to glow. The two Pokémon swung their arms at one another. They smashed into each other, and Vigoroth was blown back with ease. Slakoth winced at the pain from the direct attack to his hand. He blew on the wound and then laid back down. Vigoroth did not stand back up.

"Vigoroth is unable to battle. Slaking is the winner," the referee declared.

Logan lifted his Luxury Ball and returned Vigoroth. "You did well, Vigoroth." He pulled out a red and orange Poké Ball. "But now it's time for Vibrava!" He tossed his next Poké Ball onto the field, and Vibrava appeared.

"Not every day do I see a Pokémon like that," Senri said. "Show me what you got."

"Vibrava, use Sand Tomb!" Logan ordered.

Vibrava whipped up sand near her feet. She blew the sand forward, and it surrounded Slaking. The Pokémon only looked slightly concerned as he took damage.

"Focus Punch!"

Slaking sighed and stood up. He began to charge energy in his fist, and then he jumped forward.

"Keep him back with Bug Buzz!"

Vibrava leapt backwards and began to flap her wings rapidly. Green energy flew from her wings and collided with Slaking. This stopped Slaking's attack, who then fell to the ground, but he immediately began to rest again. This rest was not long though as the sand from Vibrava's previous attack whipped up, doing some weak damage.

"So, you know Focus Punch's weakness, eh?" Senri wondered out loud.

"I made the mistake of diving in directly with Vigoroth, but I won't do that with Vibrava," Logan said. "Now, use Earthquake!"

Vibrava flew to the ground and sent shockwaves through the floor. The entire gym began to shake, and the battlefield started to crack. Slaking began to look bothered as he fell into one of the cracks, and he glared as the sand from before brewed up once again.

"Vibrava, use Bug Buzz once more!"

"Facade," Senri calmly ordered.

Orange energy surrounded Slaking as he slowly stood back up. He tackled through the green energy that Vibrava released, eventually making his way to the Dragon-type. Their bodies collided, and Vibrava fell back hard.

"It's okay!" Logan said. "Use Dragon Breath!"

Senri smiled.

Vibrava unleashed blue flames on to the field. The blue flames engulfed Slaking as he sat back down. The small bit of sand came up once more, but it was very weak this time, and it quickly faded away. Slaking winced a little bit, and electric sparks emitted from his body.

Senri looked at his Pokémon closely. "That's too bad. Slaking has been paralyzed. Slaking, Slack Off."

Slaking nodded and then yawned once more. The energy from before came over him, and he began to heal.

"One more Dragon Breath!" Logan ordered.

Once again, Vibrava used her attack. She filled the battlefield with blue flames that covered Slaking while he attempted to heal.

"Earthquake!"

Vibrava quickly flew to the ground, and when she connected, she made the entire gym shake once more. This time, the cracks began to open up even more, and Slaking was thrown into the air ever so slightly. He landed perfectly on his legs, and then scowled at Vibrava.

"Facade."

"Dragon Breath!"

The orange energy surrounded Slaking once more, but this time there was much more. He leapt forward and faced the blue fire head on. The Normal-type easily broke through the attack and then smashed his body into Vibrava. The Dragon-type flew back even further this time and landed hard onto the ground. She tried to get back up but simply could not.

"What?" Logan asked while he looked at his Pokémon. He returned Vibrava as Slaking sat back down again. "It's so strong."

"You see, Facade is my gym's special move. If my Pokémon are hit with a status ailment like paralysis, then Facade's power doubles. As much as you think you did a great thing by paralyzing Slaking, you've actually just increased my power," Senri explained.

"You learn something new every battle," Logan muttered. He looked down at Mudkip. "But I'm not worried. Let's do this!"

Mudkip nodded and then ran forward. He glared at Slaking.

"Start with Mud-Slap, Mudkip!"

Mudkip dug his paws into the ground and then released his attack. A small wave of mud washed over Slaking, but it barely affected the Normal-type.

"Let's get this over with. Facade," Senri said.

"Protect!" Logan yelled.

As Slaking came crashing forward, Mudkip used his energy to build a small wall in front of him. Slaking bounced off the wall and fell onto his back. He lazily looked up and then yawned.

"One more Mud-Slap!"

Mudkip repeated his motions from before, and even though it barely did anything to Slaking, the Normal-type looked agitated.

"Facade!" Senri commanded.

Slaking attempted to stand up, but a sudden surge of electrical energy stopped him. He fell back to the ground.

"Good! Paralysis will still come in handy!" Logan said. "Use Rock Throw!"

Using the rubble that Vibrava's Earthquake had created, Mudkip tossed multiple rocks into the air. They started to crash around Slaking, getting in a few direct hits. The Pokémon howled from the increasing pain.

"Now, Water Gun!"

Mudkip opened his mouth wide and then unleashed his attack. A stream of water blasted from his mouth and connected with Slaking. The Lazy Pokémon rolled over and used one of the rocks to block the remaining attack.

"Try Facade, Slaking!"

"Protect!" Logan instructed.

Slaking stood up and charged once again while Mudkip began to create his shield, but this time, Mudkip was too slow, and the shield could not be formed. Slaking crashed directly into Mudkip, knocking the Pokémon far away. Mudkip landed hard, and struggled to stand back up.

The referee watched closely, and he raised his flags. "Mudkip is-"

"No!" Logan yelled. He looked at Mudkip, who was able to stand up completely. Mudkip howled, and a white energy washed over him. He began to glow, grow, and change in size. When the white energy exploded off of his body, a new Pokémon stood in his place.

"Whoa…" Logan said. He chuckled. "You must be Marshtomp."

The new Pokémon snickered and weakly danced.

"Marshtomp, the Mud Fish Pokémon. Marshtomp is much faster at traveling through mud than it is at swimming. This Pokémon's hindquarters exhibit obvious development, giving it the ability to walk on just its hind legs," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"It's cute!" Yurie commented.

"But it didn't really get much bigger," Himawari muttered.

"Marshtomp, let's do this!" Logan said with a grin. His Pokémon let out a battle cry. "If I remember correctly, Marshtomp automatically learns Mud Shot upon evolution, so let's give that go!"

Marshtomp jumped forward and opened his mouth. A stream of mud burst forward, colliding directly with Slaking, and knocking him backwards. He wiped the mud from his face and then growled.

Senri winced. "I have to use my attacks wisely. One Facade should do the trick!"

Slaking started to trudge through the mud. He picked up speed and attempted to collide his body into Marshtomp, but completely missed.

"That's the effect of Mud-Slap showing!" Logan said happily. "Use another Mud Shot!"'

Marshtomp repeated his attack and shot mud from his mouth. The mud connected directly and Slaking fell onto his face. He laid there for awhile and took a few deep breaths.

"Give it your best Water Gun!"

Marshtomp ran in front of Slaking and released water from his mouth. The water blasted against Slaking's enormous body, and Slaking began to roll backwards. Eventually, he stood back on his two feet.

"Facade!"

"Mud Shot!"

The two Pokémon used their attacks; Slaking ran forward while Marshtomp unleashed a wave of mud from his mouth. The mud connected with Slaking, and there was a small explosion. Everyone focused on the smoke, and waited for a result. Suddenly, Slaking emerged from the smoke and roared right in front of Marshtomp, but instead of completing his attack, he collapsed to the ground.

The referee smiled and then raised his flag. "Slaking is unable to battle. Mudkip-er-I mean-Marshtomp is the winner, and the victory goes to the challenger," he declared.

"Yes!" Logan yelled. He ran onto the battlefield and slid on his knees directly into the mud. He grabbed his newly evolved Pokémon and held him high. "We did it, Marshtomp!"

Senri approached his Pokémon and sighed. "You did great, Slaking, but we were bested today. Take a nice long rest."

"Don't get too dirty," Yurie mumbled while she ran out onto the battlefield with Himawari.

Senri scratched the back of his head. "I can't believe that I was essentially bested by such a basic move like Mud-Slap."

"Sometimes basic is best," Logan commented. He hugged Marshtomp.

Senri reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small box. He handed the box over to Logan, who opened it. "This is the Balance Badge. You've earned it."

Logan held the badge in his hand. "Thank you very much, Senri. I'll cherish it!"

Senri laughed. "Yurie, if you happen to ever run into your brother or Kensuke again, please tell them that I wish them well. I heard that your brother is doing fine, but apparently Kensuke is doing great. He's made it to the semi-finals two years in a row."

Yurie nodded. "Good for him."

Himawari slapped Logan's back. "Look at you. You're a mess. Don't you dare try to get any on me."

"Then don't touch me," Logan replied.

Everyone laughed.

* * *

The three returned to the Pokémon Center, and Logan stepped into the shower.

"So," Himawari said while he put some food down onto the small table in their room. "Who's Kensuke?"

"What?" Yurie asked, taken aback by the question.

"When Senri mentioned his name, you looked bothered, so who is he?"

Yurie sighed. "Why?"

"I want to know. I'm curious."

Yurie bit the inside of her cheek. "He was the first boy I ever had a crush on."

"The first?"

"The-the only."

"Well that's interesting."

"He was a really good student, and everyone looked up to him. If I remember correctly, he chose a Mudkip."

"Just like Logan."

"I guess. But when I told him that I liked him, he said he liked someone else," Yurie said. "So, I've done my best to forget about it. And now I've moved on."

"To Logan."

"Shut up."

"Who did he say he liked?"

Yurue paused. "My sister."

"Ouch."

"Hey, guys!" Logan said as he entered the room. He ran his towel through his dark brown hair. "What are we talking about?"

"Uh…" Yurie started.

"The egg!" Himawari exclaimed. He smiled and then motioned towards the egg. "We're talking about the egg!"

"It's hatching," Yurie said.

"It's hatching?" Himawari repeated as a question.

"It's hatching!" Logan yelled.

The three all leaned in close and looked at the egg as it started to rock back and forth. It began to glow and then morph in shape. Soon, a small green and brown Pokémon stood before them on their table. It eyed at the food.

"Turt!" it cried out happily.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Didn't take long for that to happen. So, Logan now has 5 badges, Yurie has 3 ribbons, and the group has a new Pokémon. Who do you think will end up with the Pokémon in the end?

Next chapter will see the return of a rival, and some fun with the new Pokémon.


	30. Sliced Mango

**Chapter 30 - Sliced Mango**

* * *

"So, how is the new Turtwig?" Juniper asked. Logan had called her when they arrived at the Pokémon Center on Route 118. They had been traveling for a week since the new Pokémon had hatched, and they were a few days off from their next destination.

Logan held the new Pokémon in his arms. "She's doing great. The leaf on her head is very green, which I think is a good sign, and I'm making sure that the Pokémon food that I make is easy on her stomach. She seems to love grapes."

"If that whole champion thing doesn't work out for you, you should consider becoming a breeder some day, Logan," Juniper said. "You're looking a little bit thinner, Logan. That Hoenn diet is doing you good. Next gym battle is in a few days. How do you feel?"

"I have a little bit more training to do before I feel confident, but we're getting there. My team is really coming together," Logan exclaimed. "Gonna go now. I'll call you next month some time."

Juniper smiled. "It's always nice to talk to you. Your family misses you. Bye bye."

With that, the two hung up, and Logan walked over to Nurse Joy's desk where Yurie and Himawari were renting a room.

"Just one night and then we'll be back on the road again," Himawari said.

"I can't wait to try the food in Fortree!" Yurie exclaimed.

The three went to their room, took their separate baths, and then fell asleep. They woke up early in the morning, and Yurie prepared breakfast while Logan and Himawari made sure that they had enough items for traveling. When they finished, they sat down at the diner at the Pokémon Center and made their plans.

"So, it'll be able a three day journey to Fortree City," Logan said. "I figured we could spend a night there, and then I'll do my gym battle. When is your contest?"

"In two weeks," Yurie replied as she set down three bowls in front of trainers containing sliced mangos. "I'm a bit worried about time."

"We should be fine," Himawari exclaimed. "And if Logan loses, then you and I will go to Lilycove as just the two of us."

Yurie grimaced. "Why?"

"Don't be mean."

The three laughed and then enjoyed their fruity breakfast. They quickly exited the Pokémon Center and were back on their path.

Route 118 was mostly tall grass surrounded by forest. It was a quiet place, and wild Pokémon avoided the three trainers. But suddenly the quietness was interrupted as a voice that loudly called out.

"Typhlosion, use Flame Wheel!"

A bright flash of fire erupted near the trainers, and a giant figure became engulfed in flames. It rammed into another giant Pokémon with enormous leaves as wings. The Pokémon fainted, and the Fire-type roared.

"You did it!" the Pokémon's trainer called out. She ran to the Pokémon and pat it on the back. She looked out at Logan and his friends. "Logan?"

Logan grinned while Yurie winced. "Camille," they both said.

"Who's this beauty?" Himawari asked. He made cutesy eyes at Camille and grinned.

"Way out of your league, boy," she responded. She had dyed her hair from black and red to black and green since the last time that they had met. "How goes your gym challenge, Unova?"

"Five badges," Logan said with a wink.

"We're even then."

"Logan, you have so many beautiful rivals," Himawari said. "You must be popular back in Unova."

Yurie glared at him. "You need to stop running your mouth."

"What do you say to a battle?" Camille asked. "I just ran through the Mauville City Gym Leader like it was nothing, and I'm looking for a challenge."

Logan pulled a Poké Ball from his belt. "I'm always up for a-"

"You beat gramps?" Himawari interrupted.

Camille nodded. "Yep! Couldn't handle me one bit."

Himawari folded his arms. "Well then. How about a battle with me? You see, I'm the true Mauville City Gym Leader, so I say that you haven't earned that badge until you beat me."

Camille laughed. "But I already have the badge. If you're a strong trainer, then I'm more than willing to take you on."

"If I win, then I say that you let me take you out on a date!"

"I'll think about it, but you're not going to win," Camille replied.

Yurie held tightly onto Turtwig. "Watch closely! Uncle Himawari is gonna get destroyed!"

"Turtwig!"

"Let's do two on two," Camille said. "I'll start with Typhlosion."

Her Pokémon flexed and howled.

"If it's a Fire-type, then it'd be foolish of me to use Magneton," Himawari noted. "In that case, you're up, Hikari!"

His Raichu emerged on the field. She smiled at her opponent.

"Typhlosion, start with Flame Wheel!" Camille ordered.

"Keep our distance! Electro Ball!"

Flames exploded from Typhlosion's body as he began to roll forward. Meanwhile, Raichu formed a ball of electric energy at the tip of her tail. She jumped into the air and swung her body around, tossing the ball towards Typhlosion. The ball smashed into the Fire-type, stopping her attack.

"Fine. We'll play your game," Camille said. "Flamethrower!"

Typhlosion stood on her two hind legs, and she released a burst of flames from her mouth. The flames engulfed Raichu, and she fell to the ground.

"Flame Wheel again!"

"In that case, let's use Thunder Punch!"'

As Typhlosion rolled forward, Raichu formed electric energy at her hand. She ran forward, and the two Pokémon collided. They both flew back a few feet but stood strong. Typhlosion suddenly screeched out as electric sparks emitted from her body.

"Not good," Camille muttered.

"Great! Volt Tackle, Hikari!"

Raichu began to run forward as electric energy started to form around her body. As she picked up speed, more electricity exploded.

"Lava Plume!"

Typhlosion stuttered, but began to focus her energy. Before Raichu could complete her attack, the ground erupted. The Pokémon crashed into one another, and there was a small explosion. When the smoke cleared, both Pokémon laid still.

"A draw, eh?" Himawari said. He returned his Pokémon.

"Still one more round to go," Camille commented. She withdrew her Typhlosion and then selected her next Poké Ball. "Go, Meowstic!" A small white bipedal Pokémon appeared on the field. It licked its paw.

"Meowstic, the Prankster Pokémon. The eyeball patterns on the interior of its ears emit psychic energy. It keeps the patterns tightly covered because that power is too immense," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"I guess it's a Kalosian Pokémon," Yurie noted.

"A Psychic Pokémon? That means that we're gonna be fighting at a distance," Himawari said out loud. "But it also means that you're gonna be weak to up close attacks. Go, Kolink!" He tossed his Poké Ball into the air, and Shinx appeared.

"Psyshock," Camille ordered calmly.

Meowstic lifted her arm into the air. Small rings of psychic energy began to form at the tip of her arm, and she flung them towards Shinx.

"Dodge, and then give 'em your strongest Crunch!"

Shinx ran forward. He leapt over one of the rings but a second one connected directly. Shinx froze momentarily, but then regained composure and then darted forward. Dark energy formed in front of him and shaped into two giant rows of teeth. The two rows clamped down hard onto Meowstic, and the Psychic Pokémon let out a cry. She leapt back, giving herself distance.

"Don't let up! Use Thunder Fang!"

"Sucker Punch!"

As Shinx bounded forward once more, Meowstic ducked. She created an after image of herself in front of Shinx, who then tried to clamp down with his electrified jobs. Once Shinx had realized his mistake, Meowstic appeared. She slammed her fist into Shinx, knocking the Electric Pokémon back a few feet.

"Follow up with Signal Beam!"

Meowstic opened her mouth and released a multi-colored beam. The beam connected directly with Shinx, knocking him even further. He quickly stood back up, but started to stumble around.

"What?" Himawari gasped.

Camille laughed. "And confusion sets in."

"Kolink, are you okay?" Himawari asked. His Pokémon weakly nodded. "Okay, let's try Thunderbolt!"

Kolink let out a battle cry and unleashed a surge of electrical energy into the air. The energy came back down directly onto Shinx, making the Electric-type shriek.

"No…"

"Use your best Psyshock!"

Meowstic started to wave her arms around again. The rings of psychic energy blasted from her arms and connected with Kolink directly. Kolink fell back and fainted as Himawari ran towards him.

"You did good, buddy," Himawari said quietly as he returned his Pokémon. He looked away from Camille and sighed.

"You're a gym leader?" Camille asked with a laugh.

"He's training to be a gym leader!" Yurie snapped.

"Need some work, I guess. Anyways, it was a fun battle."

Logan walked over to Himawari and put his hand on his shoulder. "When the battle is over, we're all friends."

Camille returned Meowstic and then pulled another Poké Ball from her belt. "I'm excited for our rematch, Logan, but I'd like to wait for conference to compete. When I beat you, I want the whole world to see."

Logan smiled. "I like your attitude, but I won't be losing this year."

Camille tossed her Poké Ball into the air and a large red, white, and blue bird Pokémon appeared. Camille held out her arms, and the Pokémon grabbed onto her and lifted her into the air. "I'll see you all soon again! Good luck!" With that, she flew off with her Pokémon.

Himawari sighed and then sat on the ground. "I'm getting real good at losing."

"Keep your head up, Himawari," Yurie said with a smile. "We'll all get stronger together."

"To be fair, you haven't had a lot of experience with battling outside of your battles with your grandpa," Logan said. "But as Yurie said, we'll get stronger together."

* * *

After a short break, the three were back on the road again. Himawari was silent the whole way, and Yurie carried the newly hatched Turtwig in her arms. She would occasionally hand over the Pokémon to Logan when her arms got tired.

"You two look like parents," Himawari commented.

Yurie blushed. "We're just taking care of the new Pokémon."

"Now that I think about it, we should probably decide who gets to keep Turtwig," Logan said. "It'd probably be best if she had a proper trainer."

"As cute as our little Turtwig is, I don't think it'd be best for me to take her," Himawari noted. "I'm trying to perfect my Electric-types, and I'm not sure if it'd be wise to add a Grass-type to my team."

"Yurie?"

Yurie pet Turtwig's head. "I'd love to add Turtwig to my team. The more variety, the better. How about you, Logan?"

"Turtwig would be a welcome addition to my team."

"What should we do?" Yurie wondered.

"We can always have a one on one Pokémon battle to decide," Logan said. He held Turtwig into the air who responded with a smile.

Yurie groaned. "We could, but you're really good. I'm not sure if I'd stand a chance."

Himawari sighed. He pulled Logan's black hat off of his head and held it out upside down. "Logan, put your Poké Balls into this hat."

Logan looked at him bewildered. He then handed over Turtwig to Yurie and pulled his Poké Balls from his belt and put them into the hat. Himawari shook the hat and rattled the Poké Balls a little bit.

"Be careful," Logan said.

"They're fine," Himawari exclaimed. "Now, Yurie, without looking, select a Poké Ball."

Yurie closed her eyes and reached into the hat. She pulled the Premier Ball and held it high.

"That'd be Manectric," Logan said.

"Cool. You can take your Pokémon back, Logan."

Logan retrieved his remaining Poké Balls and put them back on his belt. Yurie then put her Poké Balls into the hat, and Logan, with his eyes closed, pulled out Yurie's Luxury Ball. He held it out.

"That's Lairon…" Yurie muttered.

"Do you want me to pick again?" Logan asked.

Yurie grabbed onto the Luxury Ball. "Nope! I can't get better with Lairon if we never try!"

"Then it's settled. Logan will use Manectric, and Yurie will use Lairon," Himawari declared. "Let's find a small place to battle, and the winner gets to keep Turtwig."

"Sounds fair to me!" Logan said.

The three searched for a small open field amongst the tall grass. They eventually came to a small patch, and Himawari held onto Turtwig while the other two got into position.

"This is our first battle," Yurie said. "I'm really nervous."

"Just think of it as any other battle!" Logan replied. He tossed his Premier Ball onto the field, and Manectric emerged. Manectric yawned, but then prepared to battle.

"Go, Lairon!" Lairon appeared. He looked at Manectric and then Yurie, and then laid down on the ground. He lowered his head and began to nap. "Now is not the time for naps, Lairon!"

Logan sighed. "You sure you don't want to choose a different Pokémon?"

Yurie shook her head. "No! Lairon can do this!" Lairon just shrugged.

"Well, I guess we'll start then…" Logan said. "Manectric, use Discharge!"

Manectric charged energy within his body and then released it. The electric energy surged all across the battlefield. It washed over Lairon, seemingly irritating the Steel-type. Lairon then stood up and glared.

"If that's what it takes…" Yurie muttered. "Lairon, use Rock Slide!"

Instead of charging his energy, Lairon bounded forward. His body connected with Manectric, sending the Electric-type flying backwards. Manectric landed on his legs, and was still prepared to battle.

"Not Take Down…"

"Thunder Fang!"

Manectric charged his energy in his mouth, and then he ran forward. He clamped down onto the back of Lairon's neck, and the Steel-type cried out in pain. Manectric let go, and Lairon backed away a few feet.

"Rock Slide!"

Once again, Lairon ignored Yurie. He lowered his head and then bounded forward. Manectric easily avoided Lairon's attack though, and the Steel-type crashed down hard.

"Quick Attack!"

Manectric shot forward and slammed his body into Lairon. It did not do much though, and Lairon only looked a little bit irritated.

"Manectric, use Discharge!"

Manectric charged his energy once more and then released it from his body.

"Protect!"

Lairon focused his energy, and a blue forcefield appeared around his body. The electric energy bounced off of it, and Lairon was safe.

"He listened!" Yurie exclaimed. "Now, Iron Head!"

Lairon lowered his head. He then lunged forward and smashed his skull into Manectric, and the Electric-type keeled back. He recovered quickly but winced.

"Can't believe he's actually listening to me," Yurie muttered.

"Don't give up, Manectric!" Logan yelled. "Thunder Fang!"

"Rock Slide!"

As Manectric shot forward, Lairon once again lowered his head. Instead of using his energy to lift rocks from the ground, he bounded forward. Before Manectric could bite down, Lairon smashed his skull into the Electric-type's jaw. Manectric fell backwards and fainted.

"He didn't listen…"

Logan looked at his fainted Pokémon and sighed. "You did good, Manectric." He returned the Pokémon and put the ball back on his belt. "Congrats, Yurie. You get Turtwig."

Yurie walked over to her Pokémon and knelt down. "We're progressing, I think." Lairon looked away and huffed. "Maybe."

Himawari put Turtwig down in front of Yurie. "Looks like she's yours. You have a Poké Ball to catch her with?"

"Yep!" Yurie said as she pulled a green Poké Ball from her bag. "This here is a Nest Ball!" She looked at Turtwig. "You ready to join my team?"

Turtwig smiled and bounced around. Yurie softly pushed the Nest Ball against Turtwig's head, and the Grass-type was absorbed. Within moments, the Nest Ball let out the soft ding to indicate that Turtwig was caught.

"That puts you at five Pokémon," Logan said. "Almost to a full party."

"How much is in a full party?" she asked.

"Six. We both have one more slot open."

"I see. If I catch another Pokémon, is that it?"

Himawari laughed. "No. You can catch them all if you want to, but you're only allowed to carry six at a time."

Logan nodded. "We should get back on the road. We haven't made too much progress today."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

So, Yurie gets Turtwig. Himawari is kind of on a losing streak, but I hope to break it sometime soon. I like the idea of him having a confidence issue though.

Next chapter will be a bit more of a breather.


	31. Korokke

**Chapter 31 - Korokke**

* * *

Logan walked towards the calmly flowing river while he pulled a device from his bag. The device extended into a long stick, and Logan threaded a long string through it. Within moments, he held his trusty Super Rod. He pulled a blue berry from his bag and stabbed it with his hook. With a swift motion, he cast his line. Logan sat back and took a deep breath. He held onto the rod with a light grip, but he never took his eyes off of where his lure floated in the water.

**One Year Ago**

"You want to go fishing? Really?" Luna asked with a look of confusion on her face. "Why?"

Logan smiled. "There are a lot of interesting Water-type Pokémon in Alola, so I want to see what we can find! Besides, Brooklet Hill is the perfect place to fish!"

Luna put her hands on her hips and then ran her tongue through her cheek. She laughed and then patted Logan on his head, playfully running her fingers through his brown hair. "I already have a cute little Brionne, so I don't need to fish." She tucked her black hair behind her ear and then looked down at her clothes. "I guess I'll go shopping or something. Alolan fashion is so cute!"

"Sounds like a plan! Buy a tank top or something! This Alolan weather is too much for even a regular t-shirt," Logan said while motioning to his sweat stained white t-shirt. "I'll see you later!"

With that, he ran off, his little brown Pokémon not far behind.

Brooklet Hill was a place like no other. In the area were multiple pools filled with springs that bubbled all the way to the surface.

Logan pointed at one of the bubbling areas. "I read that if we want to find rare Pokémon, we have to fish in those areas. Unfortunately, if we find any Water-type Pokémon, it'd be unwise for me to let you battle them, so let's be careful. Okay, Rockruff?" His Pokémon happily nodded and stuck his tongue out.

Logan sat down on the edge of the pool and then cast his line into the bubbly area. Logan and his Pokémon patiently waited for something, anything to happen.

"I don't think that fishing is boring. I think it's rewarding," Logan said. "If you're patient enough, you may be able to find something nice. In fact, it's said that there's a really rare Pokémon somewhere in Hoenn that only a few people are able to find. You have to have unbelievable patience to find it."

Rockruff looked up and smiled.

"One day, I'll try to find one, and then we'll have a new friend on our team."

**Present Day**

Logan focused on his lure. "C'mon…"

After a few minutes of silently waiting, the lure started to bob up and down slightly. Logan gripped onto the rod a little bit tighter and slowly stood up. Suddenly, the lure disappeared into the water, and something started to pull hard on the rod. Logan struggled and pulled back. The trainer and the Pokémon began to struggle with one another and played tug a war, testing their strength. With one large pull, Logan yanked the Pokémon from out of the water. It was a small brown fish Pokémon with a dull look on its face.

"Yes!" Logan yelled out.

"Logan!" Himawari screamed as he ran down the hill.

"Not now!" Logan said as he pulled a blue Poké Ball from his belt. He only had a few seconds to catch the Pokémon.

"Tag! Your it!" Himawari yelled as he pushed Logan. Logan slipped, dropped the Poké Ball, and fell into the lake. At the same time, the Pokémon from before fell back into the water and zipped off. "No tag backs!"

Logan burst from the water and looked around for the Pokémon. "No!" He turned to Himawari. "You idiot!"

"What? It's not my fault you kept yourself open."

"I was in the middle of catching a very rare Pokémon!"

Yurie peaked out from behind a nearby tree. "So, who's it?"

"Logan is."

"I'm not playing!"

Himawari sighed. "Way to kill the fun, dude."

* * *

After Logan had cooled down, the three prepared lunch, and they had a small picnic on Route 119.

"This is korokke," Yurie said as she put down a small plate of round fried food in front of Logan. He messed with his chopsticks and took one, put it in his mouth, and smiled.

"So, we're only a couple days away from Fortree and your next gym leader. How are you feeling about it?" Himawari asked.

Logan glared at him. "Since you ruined my chance with that Feebas, I think that you should tell me what kind of gym I'll be going up against."

Himawari sighed. "If I remember correctly, you'll be going against Nagi who uses Flying-type Pokémon. She specializes in Aerial Ace, which you've already mastered, so it won't take you by surprise."

Logan looked at his belt and his different Poké Balls. "So, Manectric is a must, and Mightyena knows Thunder Fang, so that'll be useful. If it is three-on-three or four-on-four, I'll have to think a little bit harder though."

Yurie smiled. "You're always so prepared, Logan! I should work harder if I want to get to your level."

The three finished their lunch and then were back on the road. It eventually started to rain, so they had to take shelter under a group of trees. Wild Pokémon that did not love the rain also took shelter. There were a lot of Pokémon that they had already seen grouped up with their families. And Water-type Pokémon seemed to have relished in the lake, some of them jumping out and making a splash.

"Now would be a good time to go fishing," Himawari said with a laugh. Logan glared at him. "What?"

Yurie began to smell the air, and she smiled. "I love the smell of the rain. I think it brings out all of the other smells in the area. The flowers, the grass, and the trees. Everything smells so great."

Logan grinned. He and Himawari sniffed the air silently.

Yurie grabbed her Poké Balls and released her Pokémon. "Guys, let's enjoy this while we can!" Her Pokémon looked at her with confused looks. Torchic jumped forward and explained to them what she had said before. Yurie and Torchic sniffed the air, and Masquerain and Minun immediately followed. Turtwig looked at Lairon with a smile and then mimicked the others. Lairon turned away and then secretly sniffed the air. He smiled.

"I think he likes it," Logan teased silently.

"Get back here!" a voice cried out from afar. From the tall grass, a small grey Pokémon emerged. It saw the group of trainers and then quickly floated towards them and took cover behind Yurie. The group looked up and two trainers dressed in wet red clothing appeared from the tall grass. They stumbled over one another aggressively. One looked up at the group and jumped back a little bit. "It's those trainers!"

"What trainers?" the other teenager asked. They looked up, and their eyes widened. "It's _those_ trainers!"

"Team Magma?" Himawari wondered. "What are you doing here?"

The two Magma grunts approached them. "We're after that Shuppet!"

"We need stronger Pokémon if we're gonna achieve our goals! And with something like Shuppet, we'll have a better understanding of our next destination!"

"You talk like an old person," Himawari muttered.

Logan folded his arms. "Where exactly are you going next?"

"Mount-" one of the grunts started, but the other grunt smacked them on the back of the head.

"Don't tell them, you dolt!"

"Ouch…"

The rain started to slowly fade away, and the grunts looked into the sky.

"We'll change the Hoenn region for the better. We promise you that," one of the grunts said. They looked down as Turtwig slowly approached them. "I hate weak Pokémon!"

"Turtwig, no!" Yurie cried out.

The Magma grunt lifted their foot and swung it forward, but in a blink of an eye, Lairon lunged, grabbed ahold of Turtwig with his mouth, and took the full blow of the kick. It did not phase him though, and he just glared at the Magma grunt who howled in pain. They fell back, and the other Magma grunt checked on them.

Yurie picked up Turtwig and held her close. "I'm glad you're safe. Thank you, Lairon."

Lairon huffed and then turned towards the Magma grunts.

"I don't think this Shuppet wants to go with you," Logan said. "And you've made Lairon angry, which was probably the worst thing that you've ever done."

"The second worst thing is that fashion sense," Himawari added. He self high-fived.

The grunt stood back up, and they both pulled out their Poké Balls. "We're stronger this time! There's no way that you'll be able to defeat us!"

Lairon looked at Yurie and then nodded. Yurie's eyes widened. "Okay! Let's do this!"

"Go, Mightyena!" the first grunt yelled.

"Get 'em, Golbat!" the second grunt screeched while throwing their balls onto the field. Their Pokémon appeared and growled at Yurie.

"Snarl!"

"Shadow Ball!"

The two Pokémon charged up their energy and then blasted it towards Lairon.

"Protect!" Yurie yelled.

Lairon concentrated his energy and a giant blue energy field appeared in front of him and the group. The opponent's attacks collided with the wall of energy and immediately exploded.

"Rock Slide!"

Lairon focused and pulled rocks from the ground with his energy. He flung them into the air, and they landed around Team Magma's Pokémon. Golbat took a direct hit and fell to the ground in a heap.

"Finish this with Iron Head!" Yurie instructed.

Lairon bolted forward and smashed his head into the grunt's Mightyena. The Dark-type flew back into the tall grass and did not reemerge. The two grunts looked at one another with their mouths gaped wide open. Without a word, they returned their Pokémon, and then ran back into the tall grass and disappeared.

"We did it!" Yurie yelled. She ran over to Lairon and gave him a hug. He huffed but then smiled slightly.

"You're safe now, buddy," Logan told the Shuppet. It cheered silently and waved its small body in the air.

"I've never seen a Shuppet in real life before," Himawari said.

"Shuppet?" Yurie wondered while she pulled out her Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon.

"Shuppet, the Puppet Pokémon. Shuppet grows by feeding on dark emotions, such as vengefulness and envy in the hearts of people. It roams through cities in search of grudges that taint people." the Pokédex chimed.

"Well, I think it's the cutest little ghost I've ever seen!" Yurie said.

"You can get home safe now," Logan said. "They won't bother you anymore."

Shuppet nodded and then looked around. It flew a little bit into the distance, turned around, and then flew back to them. It looked around once more, flew out again in the opposite direction, and then came back.

"I think it may be lost," Himawari said.

Shuppet nodded. It started to look around frantically.

"Don't worry!" Yurie said. "We'll help you find home!" She looked at her Pokédex, and started to do research on the Shuppet.

"Where are Shuppet usually located in Hoenn?" Logan asked.

"Mt. Pyre! It's on the way to Lilycove. I'm sure we can make a small pitstop on the way there," Yurie said. "Come with us, Shuppet, and we'll take you home!"

The Shuppet smiled and then snuggled against Yurie.

"The more the merrier!" Logan said.

"We should get a move on before it rains again," Himawari noted while he looked at the sky.

"I agree!" Yurie exclaimed.

Yurie returned her Pokémon to their balls, and the three continued their journey to Fortree City. Meanwhile, in the river, a brown Pokémon looked on. It laughed and then dove into the water and swam away. Today was its lucky day.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

So, Shuppet joins the team (for now).

I think this is the shortest chapter I've written yet. It took a long time to write though. Not sure why. Next up is the gym battle between Nagi (Winona) and Logan. Any predictions for how it'll go? Thanks for reading!

Out of curiousity, would anyone be interested in me writing Logan's journeys in Alola and Unova? I'm already planning separate Alola and Unova stories, but if people were interested in Logan's time in those regions, I'd consider maybe writing them.


	32. Hot Cakes

**Chapter 32 - Hot Cakes**

* * *

The group arrived in Fortree the night previous, rented a room, and as soon as the sun was up, Logan went to the courtyard to train for a while. Yurie made the group breakfast and met them outside. Logan and his Pokémon were already exhausted, and they quickly made their way over to the table to eat.

"Pancakes!" Logan yelled as he observed the giant platter of flatbread goodness.

"We call them hot cakes in Hoenn," Yurie said with a laugh. "Eat as much as you want! I've made even more batter!"

"Thank you! Itadakimasu!"

Logan and his Pokémon began to eat, and they devoured all of the pancakes within minutes. Yurie looked onto the platter with a surprised expression on her face. "I guess I'll go make more," she muttered.

"No need!" Logan said. He smacked his stomach. "That was more than enough!"

Himawari laughed. "So, how goes training?"

Logan gave him a thumbs up. "I've taught each one of my Pokémon a new move. Each move isn't necessarily strong against Flying-types, but it can't hurt to have variety."

The group finished their breakfast and then made their way to the gym. Fortree City was unlike anything that any of them had ever seen. It was a city within the forest. Homes and buildings were built inside giant trees. There was a wooden walkway above the main rode that people used. It was quiet and smelled like nature. Once the group found the gym, they were not surprised to find it built with wood. It was surrounded by trees, and when they entered, everything else was wood. A little girl sat at the receptionist desk, and when she saw the trainers, she perked up and smiled.

"Welcome! Are you here for a battle?" she asked.

Logan nodded. "I'm here for my next gym badge!"

The little girl grabbed two small flags and then ran to the big doors that led to the battlefield. The battlefield was covered in vines and roots from the trees, and Flying-type Pokémon lived up in the rafters. It was lit by the natural light of the sun that shone through the branches and a giant hole in the ceiling.

"Makes sense," Logan mumbled to himself.

"You're here for a gym battle?" the gym leader asked. She was a teenager who wore long light blue clothing and a pilot's hat. Her light grey hair was pulled into a ponytail and stuck out from under the hat.

"You got it! My name is Logan Stephenson from Unova," Logan responded.

The gym leader nodded and smiled. "I'm Nagi. I specialize in bird Pokémon. Does a four on four battle sound good to you?"

"Sounds perfect!" Logan responded.

The little girl took her position as referee while Logan and Nagi walked to their sides of the field. Yurie, Himawari, Torchic, and Shuppet all went to the stands to observe.

"This battle will be between challenger, Logan, and Gym Leader, Nagi. It will be a four on on battle, and only Logan can make substitutions. It will be finished when all of one side's Pokémon are unable to continue. Begin!"

"I've heard about the bird Pokémon in Unova, Logan, but I'll have to be honest with you. I say that the grace of the bird Pokémon in Hoenn is superior," Nagi said. She lifted her Poké Ball and tossed it into the air. A red, white, and blue Pokémon appeared, and it soared into the sky.

"That's the same Pokémon that Camille used to fly away," Yurie said while she pulled out her Pokédex to scan it.

"Swellow, the Swallow Pokémon. Swellow flies high above our heads, making graceful arcs in the sky. This Pokémon dives at a steep angle as soon as it spots its prey. The hapless prey is tightly grasped by Swellow's clawed feet, preventing escape," the Pokédex chimed.

"Scary…" Yurie muttered.

Logan looked closely at the Pokémon and observed its speed. "It's really fast." He pulled his Premier Ball from his belt. "Then we'll fight speed with speed. Go, Manectric!"

Manectric burst onto the field and howled. He glared at his opponent in the sky.

"You can start," Nagi said calmly.

"Get it down here with Discharge!"

Manectric howled and charged his energy. The energy exploded from his body in all directions, but it was mostly concentrated towards the air.

"Dodge, and come down with Quick Attack!"

Swellow easily moved around the sparks and then shot downwards. She slammed her body into Manectric, making the Electric-type stumble back a few feet.

"Now, Aerial Ace!"

Once more, Swellow shot forward. This time, white energy exploded from her beak. She rammed into Manectric, and Manectric jumped back. He winced from the pain. Swellow smiled, but then suddenly electric energy sparked from her body, and she screeched out.

"What?"

"Perfect!" Logan said. "Static."

"That'll slow down Swellow," Himawari commented.

Logan lifted his Poké Ball and returned Manectric. He then tossed another Poké Ball onto the field, and Marshtomp appeared.

"Saving Manectric for last, huh?" Nagi wondered.

"If I can!" Logan said. "Marshtomp, use Ice Beam!"

Marshtomp charge light blue energy in front of his face and then unleashed a light blue beam. The beam connected with Swellow directly, and the bird fell from the sky. She quickly recovered though, and then soared back into the air.

"Use Aerial Ace!"

Swellow flipped and then darted towards Marshtomp once more.

"Another Ice Beam, Marshtomp!"

Marshtomp released another jagged beam of light blue energy from his mouth.

"Continue with Double Team!" Nagi ordered.

Swellow suddenly multiplied, and the ice energy blasted clones out of the air. But the real Swellow broke through and smashed into Marshtomp. Marshtomp stood strong though and then grabbed ahold of Swellow by the wings. Swellow tried to retreat, but her paralysis condition prevented her from moving.

"Ice Beam!"

At close-range, Marshtomp unleashed his attack. The ice overtook Swellow who flew backwards. She landed hard on the ground, but then slowly stood back up to the surprise of everyone.

"How can Swellow take so much damage?" Yurie asked.

Himawari thought for a bit. "Marshtomp isn't an Ice-type, so when he uses Ice-type attacks, it's not perfect. Swellow can absorb the blows, but that doesn't mean that Swellow is getting off without a scratch."

"We can finish this one!" Logan said. "Rock Throw!"

Marshtomp focused his energy and the ground started to rumble. He pulled stones from the earth and tossed them into the air.

"Endeavor!" Nagi yelled.

Swellow closed her eyes and a few orbs of energy appeared in front of her. She shouted, and the orbs darted across the field. They connected with Marshtomp who looked confused and then suddenly, his body was drained of energy. He collapsed to the ground as the stones fell from the sky. They collided with Swellow, ending her battle there.

The little referee looked at Swellow and nodded. "Swellow is unable to battle! Marshtomp is the winner!"

"Marshtomp! Are you okay?" Logan asked. His Pokémon slowly stood back up, but he was breathing heavily.

"What happened?" Yurie asked.

"She used Endeavor. Basically, she made Marshtomp's energy equal to that of Swellow. It's a move that requires your own Pokémon to take a lot of hits to make worth it, but it can also make a Pokémon that was as fresh as Marshtomp instantly lose its power," Himawari explained.

Nagi returned her Swellow. "I usually use Endeavor no matter what, but I think I got lucky with your Marshtomp. It knows two attacks that could do a lot to my Pokémon, so it's best that we take it out quickly." She pulled a Poké Ball from her belt and tossed it into the air. A white and blue Pokémon with a giant yellow beak appeared.

"Pelipper, the Water Bird Pokémon. Pelipper searches for food while in flight by skimming the wave tops. This Pokémon dips its large bill in the sea to scoop up food, then swallows everything in one big gulp," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"A Water-type," Yurie said. "So, Marshtomp should be okay, right?"

"He's already taken a lot of damage, and any Water-type moves will affect him normally," Himawari responded. "I'm not sure what Logan can do."

"Rock Throw!" Logan yelled.

Marshtomp used his energy once more to pull stones from the ground. He tossed them into the air straight towards Pelipper.

"Protect!" Nagi commanded.

A blue orb of energy surrounded Pelipper's body as the stones from the sky fell. They bounced off the orb, and Pelipper remained undamaged.

"Now, Water Pulse!" Nagi said.

Pelipper flew a few feet into the air and formed a ball of aquatic energy in her mouth. She flung the orb at the ground, and it exploded, making a giant wave that headed directly towards Marshtomp.

"We'll do our own Protect!" Logan exclaimed.

Marshtomp nodded and formed the blue energy orb around himself. The wave crashed down, but Marshtomp was okay.

"Aerial Ace!" Nagi ordered quickly.

Before Logan or Marshtomp could realize what was happening, Pelipper burst through the remaining part of the wave. She smashed her giant beak into Marshtomp, and Logan's Pokémon fell to the ground.

The little referee took a close look at Marshtomp before raising her flag. "Marshtomp is unable to battle! Pelipper is the winner!"

Pelipper flew around happily while Logan returned Marshtomp. He looked down at Mightyena and nodded. Mightyena ran out onto the field and prepared to battle.

"I like your style! Neither one of us is at an advantage!" Nagi exclaimed.

"That's where you're wrong!" Logan said. "Mightyena, use Thunder Fang!"

Mightyena knelt down and opened his mouth. Sparks started to emit from his jaw, and he leapt into the air. He latched onto Pelipper who let out a loud cry. Pelipper shifted her body and tossed Mightyena back towards the ground, but the Dark-type landed without any problems.

"Keep the pressure on it!" Logan said. "Try Iron Tail!"

"Use Aerial Ace!"

Both of the Pokémon charged towards one another, but once Mightyena was in the air, he was in Pelipper's territory. He swung his body around, but Pelipper easily avoided his tail and then smashed her giant beak into Mightyena. Mightyena fell towards the ground, but Nagi was not finished.

"Supersonic!"

Pelipper chased after Mightyena with her mouth wide open. Rings of energy came from her mouth and surrounded the Dark-type. Mightyena crashed against the ground. He slowly stood back up, but his legs were wobbly.

"Confused…" Logan muttered. _It should only take one Thunder Fang to finish this off, but we have to fight through confusion._

"Let's do another Water Pulse!" Nagi ordered.

Once again, Pelipper released a ball of aquatic energy towards the ground. It exploded, creating another wave.

"Dig!" Logan yelled.

Mightyena shook his head and closed his eyes, but then he began to dig at the ground, and within moments, he was underground.

"Gotta be careful!" Nagi warned. "He could be-"

Suddenly, Mightyena burst from the ground. He slowly came back up and took a few deep breaths.

"I think being underground in the dark only made him more confused," Himawari said.

"Poor Mightyena is having an anxiety attack," Yurie added.

"Finish this with Aerial Ace!" Nagi commanded.

Pelipper did a backflip in the air and then darted downwards at Mightyena while the Dark-type kept his eyes closed tight.

"Thunder Fang!" Logan yelled desperately.

Mightyena forced one eye open and then looked directly at Pelipper. He opened his mouth at the last second, and the two Pokémon collided. Smoke exploded from their attacks and covered the field. When it cleared, only a wobbly Mightyena remained standing.

"Pelipper is unable to battle! Mightyena is the winner!" the little referee declared.

Nagi returned her Pokémon. "You're a lucky battler, Logan. But I'm afraid that luck won't save you anymore. My next two Pokémon are very strong." She tossed her next Poké Ball into the air and a bird made of steel appeared.

"Skarmory, the Armor Bird Pokémon. Skarmory's steel wings become tattered and bashed in from repeated battles. Once a year, the battered wings grow back completely, restoring the cutting edges to their pristine state," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"It's a little scary, but I'm sure Logan will be okay," Yurie said.

"Not the first time that I've seen a Skarmory. We have to be careful, Mightyena," Logan warned. His Pokémon slightly wobbled around. "Let's start with Thunder Fang!"

Mightyena shook his head and then tried to dive at the ground instead of attacking. His face bounced off of the ground, and he whimpered.

"Supersonic is doing its job," Nagi said. "Use Steel Wing!"

Skarmory's wings began to glow a bright silver color, and she dove forward. She smashed her wings against Mightyena, making the Dark-type roll back a little bit. Mightyena shook his head and then focused on Skarmory. He growled.

"I think he's better," Logan muttered. "Thunder Fang!"

"Steel Wing!"

The two Pokémon charged at one another. Skarmory swooped low, but Mightyena avoided it. He jumped and clamped his electrified jaws down on the back of Skarmory's neck and then tossed the Steel-type backwards.

"Follow it up with Assurance!" Logan ordered.

A dark aura came over Mightyena's body, and he lunged forward. His body collided with Skarmory, and the Steel-type crashed into the ground. Mightyena landed on his legs and then howled.

"Not bad," Nagi said. "But not good enough! Air Cutter!"

Suddenly, the smoke and dust around Skarmory whipped into a frenzy. The energy around Skarmory blasted forward and slashed at Mightyena, sending the Dark-type flying. Mightyena landed hard on the ground and fainted.

"Mightyena is unable to battle! Skarmory is the winner!" the little referee declared.

Logan ran onto the field and picked up Mightyena. He carried his Pokémon back to his trainer's box and then set him down. Mightyena looked up at Logan and grinned.

"You did rest, Mightyena. Leave the rest to our friends," Logan said.

"I can see that your Pokémon really care about you," Nagi commented. "I like seeing that kind of bond between trainer and Pokémon."

Logan smiled and pulled out his Premier Ball. "My Pokémon and I are in this journey together. Their wins are my wins. Their losses are my losses." He released Manectric onto the field. "But we won't lose this one."

"Your bond with your Pokémon is strong, but your confidence is misplaced," Nagi said with a laugh.

"Manectric, use Discharge!"

"We have to be careful! Use Air Cutter!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks, and the energy collided in the middle of the battlefield. There was a small explosion, and the trainers took their next steps.

"Manectric, Quick Attack!"

"Use Steel Wing!"

Both of the Pokémon dashed into the middle of the smoke. They clashed and Manectric flew backwards out of the smoke. Skarmory followed and swung her wings once more.

"Flamethrower!" Logan yelled.

Manectric opened his mouth and a steady stream of flames burst forth. They engulfed Skarmory's entire body. The Steel-type screeched and then flew into the air to make the flames go away.

"Your Manectric is about as dangerous as it gets," Nagi commented. "I gotta finish this as soon as I can."

"We'll get to you first! Discharge!"

Sparks burst from Manectric's body as Skarmory floated in the air.

"Get in close with Sand-Attack!"

Skarmory twisted to avoid most of Manectric's attack. She then swooped down low and ran her talons against the ground, picking up some of the dirt. She flung it forward, getting it directly in Manectric's eyes.

"Follow up with Steel Wing!"

"Flamethrower!"

Skarmory twisted back and then used her energy to make her wings glow. She darted forward as Manectric haphazardly released flames from his mouth. Flamethrower completely missed though, and Skarmory smashed her wings against Manectric. Both of the Pokémon retreated from one another, and Manectric's body shook.

_He's taken way too much damage. We've gotta finish this with the next attack or I'll be in some hot water._ Logan thought. "Manectric, are you okay?" Manectric weakly nodded.

"Not after this! Steel Wing!"

"Wait for it to get close and then use Discharge!"

As Skarmory flew towards him, Manectric charged electricity within his body. Before Skarmory could connect, Manectric unleashed the energy that he had charged, making the Steel-type screech. Skarmory fought through the electricity and weakly smashed her wings against Manectric. Both Pokémon collapsed onto each other, and neither tried to stand back up.

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle! This is a draw!" the referee declared while holding up two flags.

Nagi returned Skarmory and smiled. "It looks like we're both down to one."

Logan nodded as he pulled his last Poké Ball from his belt. "I'll have to go all out if that's the case."

"Altaria, take to the skies!" Nagi said while she tossed her last Poké Ball into the air. A blue Pokémon with wings made of white fluff appeared. It soared high through the open ceiling and basked in the sunlight.

"Altaria, the Humming Pokémon. Altaria dances and wheels through the sky among billowing, cotton-like clouds. By singing melodies in its crystal-clear voice, this Pokémon makes its listeners experience dreamy wonderment," the Pokédex chimed.

"It's so pretty!" Yurie commented. She took a closer look at the Pokédex. "It's also a Dragon-type."

Logan tossed his Fast Ball onto the field, and Vibrava appeared. She looked up at Altaria and smiled.

"Looks like this has turned into a battle of the dragons," Nagi said. "I like it."

"Vibrava, let's not give them any chances! Start with Dragon Breath!"

Vibrava nodded and then started to flap her wings rapidly. She soared into the air and opened her mouth. Blue flames bellowed from her mouth and shot straight towards Altaria.

"Use your own Dragon Breath!" Nagi commanded.

Altaria followed orders and released her own stream of blue flames. The two attacks clashed in the air and cancelled each other out.

"Well, that's a good sign," Himawari murmured.

"Why?" Yurie asked.

"Altaria is a fully evolved Pokémon, and Vibrava is not. Vibrava would naturally be weaker in that case, but it appears that Logan has trained Vibrava well enough to, at the very least, be on par with Altaria," Himawari explained.

"Dragon Dance!" Nagi commanded.

"And now that's out the window…" Himawari muttered.

Altaria started to flutter around in the sky, and her body began to glow a light red. Soon, her body had a slight tint of red completely surrounding it.

"Don't give up! Use another Dragon Breath!" Logan ordered.

"Use your own Dragon Breath!"

The two Pokémon released their attacks, and they clashed once again. This time, Altaria's blue flames overtook Vibrava's, destroying the attack. It continued and then engulfed Vibrava. Vibrava stuttered a little bit before falling to the ground. She crashed hard but stood back up.

"Altaria, use Aerial Ace!"

"Sandstorm!"

As Altaria bounded towards Vibrava, the Ground-type charged her energy, and her eyes began to glow. Wind started to flow from the open ceiling, and sand whipped up into the air. A sudden rush of sand filled the entire stadium, and Altaria stopped her attack as she was buffeted by the sand. The sandstorm then slowly calmed down and everyone could once again see the field.

"Where did Vibrava go?" Nagi asked.

"Dragon Breath!" Logan yelled.

Vibrava appeared behind Altaria and blasted her own blue fire. The fire overtook Altaria and sent her towards the ground.

"Use your own Dragon Breath!" Nagi ordered.

Altaria began her attack, but the sandstorm suddenly whipped up once more, blinding her. She stopped attacking and searched frantically for Vibrava.

"Bug Buzz!" Logan instructed.

Light green energy exploded from the sky. It pelted against Altaria, which seemingly annoyed her. She blasted her blue fire into the air but to no effect. The sandstorm faded, and Vibrava was gone again.

Nagi looked around the gym and the trees that surrounded it. "Probably hiding…"

Logan slowly tapped his feet on the ground. He closed his eyes. "It's almost back," he said quietly. "Okay! Earthquake!"

"What?" Himawari asked.

Vibrava flew from the side of the tree and then crashed into the ground. The entire battlefield started to shake, but Altaria quickly flew into the air to avoid the attack.

"Dragon Breath!" Nagi yelled.

As Altaria started her attack, the sandstorm appeared once more, blinding the Dragon-type.

"Dragon Breath!" Logan ordered.

From inside of the sandstorm, Vibrava released her attack. The blue flames engulfed Altaria once more, and she fell to the ground as the sandstorm started to fade away once more. She landed hard on the ground. She shook, but slowly stood back up and roared.

"You're not bad, Logan," Nagi said calmly. "This has surely been an exciting battle."

"You've really pushed me and my Pokémon to our limits," Logan commented.

"Well, if this is your limit, then I'm afraid that you'll have to try even harder," Nagi exclaimed. "Use Roost!"

"Oh no…" Himawari muttered.

"What? What?" Yurie frantically asked.

Altaria started to softly sing and her body glowed a light white. Once she stopped, the glow faded away, but she looked refreshed. She grinned at Vibrava.

"She healed," Himawari stated.

_She used Roost, which means that we've essentially restarted this battle._ Logan thought. "But wait!"

The sandstorm came once more and filled the battlefield. Altaria was once again blind.

"Dragon Breath!" both of the trainers ordered in unison.

The two Pokémon shot off their attacks, and they clashed in the middle of the stadium. They exploded on contact, but Vibrava was able to hide within the blowing sand, avoiding a follow up blow. Once the sandstorm faded, Nagi and Altaria looked around frantically.

"Earthquake!" Logan yelled.

Vibrava came from above and landed right in front of Altaria. The entire stadium shook once more, and Altaria looked extremely bothered. She tried to fly, but her wings seemingly did not work. She screeched and then was tossed backwards by the tremoring energy.

"What happened?" Yurie asked.

"I… don't… know…"

"Finish this with Dragon Breath!" Logan instructed.

Before Altaria could recover, Vibrava unleashed her attack. The blue flames took over Altaria's whole body, and once the attack stopped, Altaria weakly fell to the ground.

The referee observed Altaria and then nodded. She held up her flag. "Altaria is unable to continue. Vibrava is the winner, which means that Logan and his team are the victors!"

"I can't believe it…" Nagi muttered while she returned her Altaria. "You're one surprise after another, Logan."

Logan ran onto the field and hugged Vibrava. "We actually did it! You've gotten so strong!"

Everyone met in the middle of the field, and Nagi handed out a small box to Logan. "Not a lot of people are able to take advantage of Roost's drawback. You deserve this Feather Badge."

"Drawback?" Yurie wondered.

Logan grinned. "When you use Roost, you're Pokémon heals, but they also lose their Flying-type capabilities for awhile."

"So, your first Earthquake was a simple distraction, but your second Earthquake actually did decent damage," Himawari exclaimed. "Incredible…"

Logan opened up the box to reveal his new gym badge. It was a white and light blue badge shaped like a wing. He held it in his hand and smiled. "That makes six."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Writing four-on-four battles can be real difficult. It's hard to keep the tension going, but it was overall fun. Thanks for reading.

If there are a lot of mistakes in this one, I'm sorry. When I was reading back through it, there were an unusual amount of mistakes.


	33. Cheese Manju

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 33 - Cheese Manju**

* * *

The three did not spend much more time in Fortree City. After Logan's battle, they returned to the Pokémon Center, washed up and went to bed. As soon as they woke up, they left Fortree, but not before Yurie did a little bit of shopping for some of the local cuisine.

"This is cheese manju!" Yurie announced while she pulled a little light brown dumpling from her bag. "It was first made in Fortree!"

Logan took a bite and cream cheese burst into his mouth. He squirmed as the familiar sweetness overtook him. "It's delicious…"

"I'm glad!"

Route 120 was similar to 119 in many ways. There were giant trees all around, and the grass was much taller than what the trainers were used to. There was a small pond with some of the cleanest water that Logan had ever witnessed. And the three had to cross a bridge to get over it. Their reflections came off of the water perfectly. Logan looked over the side of the bridge and smiled.

"Unova is famous for our giant bridges, but the water isn't even close to this clear," Logan commented.

Himawari grinned. "I guess that's because Unova is a dirty place."

Logan shrugged. "You're not exactly wrong."

The three continued on the route, and they saw Pokémon that had become very familiar to them. Wild Poochyena and Mightyena played in the distance. Groups of Zigzagoon and Linoone relaxed in the shade of the trees. Surskit and Masquerain zipped around the ponds. Logan even thought that he saw an Absol, but it had disappeared before he could confirm.

After hours of traveling, they eventually came to a giant stone structure with trees and moss growing on it and a deep forest. In between was nothing but tall grass with a small trail seemingly cut out for travelers.

"I guess we have to take the trail!" Himawari said. He walked towards the trail, but suddenly something came from the tall grass. With one swift motion, it bounced against Himawari and knocked him back.

"What was that?" Logan asked. He walked over to help Himawari up.

"I didn't see anything," Himawari mumbled. He felt at his arm and then straightened himself before dusting off the dirt from his backside.

Logan walked over to the trail and the grass rustled once more. Something burst from it and collided with Logan, making him roll back. He held onto his stomach.

"What's going on?" Yurie wondered out loud.

Suddenly, a voice boomed from the forest. "This seems like a job for the Devon Scope!"

The group turned and a thin boy with pale skin ran out of the forest. He had lengthy brown hair, a red shirt with erratic star designs, and black skinny jeans. He was wearing a giant pair of weird looking goggles.

"Is that…" Logan started.

The boy took off the goggles. "Logan?" he wondered, his accent from Galar.

"Finn!"

Logan stood up and the two trainers ran at one another and embraced happily.

"What are you selling now?" Himawari asked. "Not a big fan of those goggles."

Finn held the giant goggles in his hand and laughed. "This is the Devon Scope! There are Pokémon on Route 120 that you can only see if you use it."

Himawari took it from him and played with it for a second, putting it up to his eyes. "But it's so gaudy…"

Finn laughed. "I'll actually let you in on a little secret." He whistled, and the grass started to rustle. A small green Pokémon peeked its head out from the grass and sighed.

"That thing is yours?!" Himawari snapped. He dropped the goggles and then grabbed Finn by the collar. "What do you think you're doing, man?"

Shuppet laughed and then floated over to Kecleon. The two talked with each other for awhile.

Logan stepped in between Finn and Himawari. "Let's calm down, guys."

"Kecleon isn't supposed to go that hard, but I just think that he got excited," Finn explained. "Let's apologize."

Kecleon ran over to Himawari and knelt down. Yurie pulled out her Pokédex.

"Kecleon, the Color Swap Pokémon. Kecleon is capable of changing its body colors at will to blend in with its surroundings. There is one exception - this Pokémon can't change the zigzag pattern on its belly," the Pokédex chimed.

"There are actually a lot of wild Kecleon in this area, but people don't know about them. Devon wants me to sell these little machines to people so they can try to catch their own to help control the population. I'm still working on my selling techniques," Finn explained.

"You should try just explaining that to people instead of attacking them," Himawari snapped.

"I'm sorry!" Finn said with a laugh. He leaned near Logan. "Dude really can't take a joke, huh?"

"Now's not the time," Logan whispered.

"So!" Finn said loudly. "Where are you guys off to?"

"We're going to Lilycove City for my next contest," Yurie explained. "Only have a few more days to get there."

"How about I go with you guys?" Finn said as he took his goggle back. "I have this, which we can use in case anything attacks us."

"In case you have any other tricks!" Himawari snapped sarcastically.

"I'd love to travel with you for a bit, Finn!" Logan exclaimed. "It'd be a good time to catch up."

"Galar sounds so fun!" Yurie squealed.

Finn nodded. "It was a great time! My first adventure, but I wasn't allowed to take part in the league, unfortunately. I still have a fair share of stories though!"

* * *

Yurie and Finn had hit it off really well, so the two of them lead the four trainers while Logan and Himawari stayed in the back. Himawari glared at Finn the whole time while Logan looked up at the sky.

"How did you and Logan meet?" Yurie asked.

"I spent a month in Unova before I went on my journey in Galar. My parents thought that it'd be a good experience to go to a different land for awhile. It'd get me used to being on my own. I spent that time with Professor Juniper, and Logan and I learned a lot together," he explained. "And then we got lucky and bumped into each other in Alola about a year or so later!"

"_And then we got lucky and bumped into each other in Alola,_" Himawari said mockingly.

"Calm down," Logan muttered.

"Logan beat me in the Top 16, and then I helped him collect data on all of his other opponents," he said.

"Finn is a solid trainer, but he's an even better analyst. He can get data on about any other trainer in the league and make strategies on how to beat them," Logan added.

"It's executing those strategies that I find difficult," Finn muttered. "The pressure of battle can be too much sometimes."

"I want to have a battle with you!" Yurie said. "I want to battle with one of Logan's friends!"

"Best friends!" Finn corrected.

Himawari walked in between them. "I don't think so. If anyone is going to battle you, it's me. I want to put you in your place."

"How about a double battle?" Finn suggested.

"Double battle?" Yurie wondered.

Finn nodded. "In Hoenn, they invented the double battle! It's two trainers taking on two other trainers! I haven't had the chance to try one out yet myself, so I think right now would be perfect."

Himawari grinned. "Me and Yurie vs. you and Logan, I take it?"

"Yeah!" Yurie, Finn, and Logan all said in unison.

The trainers found a small patch where they could have their battle. The two teams split, and they discussed quick strategies with one another, when they finished, they got into position.

"I'm going with Kolink!" Himawari said while he released his Shinx.

"And I chose Masquerain!" Yurie announced. She tossed her ball into the air, and Masquerain burst forth.

"Vigoroth!" Logan yelled while he tossed his Luxury Ball onto their makeshift field. Vigoroth appeared and prepared to battle.

Finn lifted his Poké Ball. "And I'm going to choose Croconaw!" His Pokémon emerged from the white light and then danced around happily.

"I can't lose again," Himawari muttered.

"Then let's do our best!" Yurie said with a smile. "Masquerain, use Silver Wind!"

"Kolink, Thunderbolt!"

"Get in close?" Logan asked. Finn nodded. "Sounds good! Aerial Ace!"

"Ice Fang!"

Masquerain flew back while releasing silver energy from her wings. Shinx bounded forward and unleashed electricity from his body. Meanwhile, Vigoroth and Croconaw ran forward. Vigoroth jumped into the air and white energy formed around her claws. Croconaw opened his large jaws, and ice started to surround his teeth. The long-ranged attacks overwhelmed Vigoroth and Croconaw. The two Pokémon fell back, but quickly regrouped.

"Vigoroth is faster than anyone else, so we've got to use that to our advantage," Finn said.

"You got it! Vigoroth, let's break through! Use Brick Break!"

"Use Bubblebeam, Masquerain!" Yurie ordered.

Vigoroth ran forward, and her arm started to glow white. Masquerain released a flurry of powerful bubbles from her mouth. But Vigoroth was quick and swiftly destroyed the bubbles with her attack. She continued and smashed her arm into Masquerain, knocking the Bug-type to the ground.

"Let's use Aqua Tail!" Finn said.

Croconaw danced as his tail became engulfed in a giant wave of water. He leapt into the air and then twisted his body, sending the wave towards Shinx.

"Kolink, Thunder Fang!"

Shinx nodded and then jumped at the wave. He stuck his jaws into the water, electrifying it. The electric energy continued until it reached Croconaw, shocking him. Croconaw stopped his attack and staggered a little bit.

"One more Thunderbolt!" Himawari yelled.

Shinx unleashed his attack once more.

"Defend Croconaw!" Logan instructed.

Vigoroth was quick and got in front of Croconaw. She lifted her arm, letting it take the full force of the attack. Vigoroth yelped from the pain, but was ultimately okay.

"Thanks!" Finn said with a thumbs up. "Dragon Claw!"

"Follow with your Shadow Claw!"

Croconaw jumped in front of Vigoroth and then started to sprint forward. Vigoroth followed behind. Both of their hands started to glow with the respective energy of their attacks.

"Meet them with Ice Fang!" Himawari commanded.

"Air Cutter, Masquerain!"

Shinx ran forward while Masquerain flew into the air. Masquerain released her attack and which collided with the ground in directly in front of Croconaw and Vigoroth. They both stopped and looked into the air, which gave Shinx the perfect opportunity. Shinx leapt out from the smoke and latched his jaws onto Vigoroth. Vigoroth shouted and squirmed while her arm began to freeze over.

"Diving Silver Wind!" Yurie instructed.

As Masquerain flew straight towards the ground, she released her light green energy from her wings. The energy blasted against both Vigoroth and Croconaw, making them fall back. Vigoroth breathed heavily, but Croconaw still seemed okay to continue.

"I'll take the lead once more," Finn said. "Let's use Superpower!"

Croconaw nodded, and his body started to glow a slight red tint. He bounded forward at an amazing speed, and before Yurie or Himawari could make their call, Croconaw collided with Masquerain. Masquerain hit the ground hard and could not get back up.

"Oh no…" Yurie muttered while she returned her Pokémon. "I'm sorry Himawari…"

Himawari looked out at the two Pokémon that he still had to face. Vigoroth was still injured from the Ice Fang, and Croconaw was seemingly less energetic than from before he used Superpower.

"Kolink, can you do this?" he asked.

Shinx nodded and then started to howl. His body began to glow a bright white and started to shift and grow. Within moments, the white energy exploded off of him, and a new Pokémon stood in his place.

"What's that?" Yurie asked, amazed at the new Pokémon.

"Kolink! You've evolved into a Luxio!" Himawari exclaimed. "Yes!"

"This is no time for us to be dawdling around," Logan said. "Vigoroth, use Slash!"

Vigoroth stood up and lifted her good arm. She then started to slowly run forward while dragging her frozen arm behind her.

"Croconaw, give it one more Dragon Claw!"

Croconaw nodded and ran beside Vigoroth. He lifted his claw, and it started to glow with a blue fire.

"Give them your strongest Thunderbolt!" Himawari ordered.

Luxio ginned and he unleashed his attack. Lightning erupted from his body and then came crashing down on the two opponents seconds before they would have hit their attacks. Once the lightning stopped, all of the Pokémon froze in place. After a few seconds, Vigoroth and Croconaw collapsed to the ground.

"Yes!" Himawari cheered.

Logan sighed. "Welp…"

"That was really fun!" Finn said.

Himawari ran out onto the field and hugged his newly evolved Luxio. "You're amazing, Kolink!" He looked at the dazed and confused Croconaw and Vigoroth. "You're both really strong too."

"Thanks," Finn said as he knelt down and petted his Pokémon. "You're gonna be a great gym leader, Himawari."

Himawari smiled.

* * *

After a short lunch break, the group continued until they reached Route 121. The thick trees and grass had slowly started to disappear, and they could see a city in the far off distance. The smell of a lake also filled the air, and in front of them was a small mountain covered in fog. Shuppet looked at it and started to panic. She looked at the trainers with a desperate look on her face.

"Is that your home, Shuppet?" Yurie asked.

"Shup-Shuppet!" the Pokémon responded, her voice shaken.

Logan examined the Pokémon and then looked towards the mountain. "I think we should go with her to Mt. Pyre. I think that she suspects that something is wrong over there, and since our little meeting with Team Magma, I've felt a little uneasy myself."

"Let's go?" Yurie asked.

Himawari and Finn nodded.

"Let's get you back home, Shuppet!" she exclaimed.


	34. Kurobuta

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 34 - Kurobuta**

* * *

The group found their way to the entrance of Mt. Pyre, and it was not what they had expected. The mountain was almost completely hollow on the inside, and there were many gravestones strewn about. It was all lit by natural lighting, but some of the fog made it to the inside, making it difficult to see.

"This place is creepy," Yurie said. She got closer to Logan.

As soon as they entered, Shuppet flew to the other side of the giant room. She pointed towards a staircase, and the trainers quickly followed.

Himawari looked around. "It's very quiet here. Almost relaxing, but it's so quiet that it becomes unnerving."

"Hard to explain," Logan added. "But I get it."

The four continued up the staircase until they reached the outside once more. It was considerably cooler up on the side of the mountain that it was near the bottom. The group could barely make out the lake at the bottom through the fog, but that was not what they focused on. They carefully continued up the side of the mountain, and the fog started to disappear. When they made it to another staircase, a Pokémon came charging towards them.

Logan gripped one of his Poké Balls, but once Shuppet quickly floated towards the mystery Pokémon, he stopped. The two Pokémon floated in the air and talked with one another. Both looked worried, and the more they talked, the more Shuppet appeared panicked.

"Looks like a Duskull," Finn commented.

"I think they're friends," Logan said.

Yurie slowly scanned the new Pokémon with her Pokédex.

"Duskull, the Requiem Pokémon. Duskull wanders lost among the deep darkness of midnight. There is an oft-told admonishment given to misbehaving children that this Pokémon will spirit away bad children who earn scoldings from their mothers," the Pokédex chimed.

"Your Pokédex makes it sounds scary, but Duskull are usually just pranksters," Finn said.

Shuppet turned to the trainers. She floated towards Yurie and started to speak in her own little language. Yurie nodded along to what she was saying.

"I can't understand what she's saying," Yurie muttered. "But if I were a betting girl, I'd say that there are some people here who aren't supposed to be."

"Let's go," Logan said.

With that, the group continued up the mountain. They soon came to the top which was mostly lit by torches that surrounded the area. Various Pokémon lay unconscious on the ground. Shuppet noticed another one of her species and then floated over to it. She started to well up.

"Shuppet!" she cried out.

"I can't believe I missed one of you," a voice called. The group turned and looked over a small hill where a large teenage boy started to appear. His muscles were clearly defined, and he wore no shirt. His pants were tight, blue, and torn near the top. On his chest was a white symbol that the group had already familiarized themselves with. Once he saw the group, he grinned. "What's this?"

"I take it you're apart of Team Aqua," Yurie said. She pointed to the white symbol on his chest.

The teenager grinned. "One of their strongest members. Currently tasked with making sure that there are no intruders." His Pokémon slowly walked up the hill and appeared at his side. It had giant pinsirs that it clamped together intimidatingly.

Himawari tossed a Poké Ball into the air, and his Raichu appeared. "You three go ahead. I can take care of this chump."

The teenager waved his hand. "Go ahead. If you come into contact with Shelley, she won't take it easy on you. And may God have mercy on your soul if you come across Archie."

Logan, Finn, and Yurie all looked at one another. They nodded and then continued on ahead, leaving Himawari behind.

"Now, where were we?" the teenager asked.

"Hikari, hit 'em with Electro Ball!"

"Crawdaunt, use Razor Shell!"

* * *

The path that the group continued on was not very long, but as they ran along the path, they started to notice that a few of the torches had burnt out. Suddenly, from the distance a light blue jagged beam shot towards them. They stopped, and the beam froze the ground in front of them. They looked up and noticed a female teenager with long poofy black hair. Her giant blue Pokémon with a multitude of long black tentacles stood at her side.

"Matt let you by?" she asked. "Pathetic."

"He's a bit busy," Finn said.

"We're almost done here, but it's probably in my best interest to not let you pass," she responded.

"I'm gonna take a page out of Himawari's book," Finn said. He removed a Poké Ball from his belt and released his Pokémon. A large ghost Pokémon with a mouth on his stomach burst forth. It floated in the air and focused closely on its opponent. "Dusknoir and I got this."

"We'll continue on," Logan said. He and Yurie started to run, but the Team Aqua member was quick.

"Tentacruel, get them with Constrict!"

Her Pokémon lunged forward and held out a multitude of its arms.

"I don't think so! Dusknoir, use Thunder Punch!" Finn yelled.

His Pokémon swiftly appeared in front of Tentacruel. He swung his fist and smashed it into the Water-type, stopping its attack momentarily.

"Go!" Finn yelled.

Logan nodded, and they continued on their way. Shuppet and Duskull followed closely behind.

* * *

Raichu twisted in the air and swung her tail around. She smashed it into Crawdaunt, but the Water-type was not phased. He shifted his body and clamped down onto the ironhard tail. With one swift motion, he tossed Raichu back. Raichu landed on the ground hard, but was able to slowly stand back up.

_This Pokémon's level has to be insanely high. He took Hikari's attack's like it was nothing, and I have the type-advantage._ Himawari thought.

"It must suck having thought that you've trained your Pokémon so well only to discover that they're weak," the Team Aqua member said. "Can't even beat a mere Water-type?"

Himawari looked at his Raichu. It was clear that she did not have much left in her. "Raichu, this is an important battle. We're trying to stop them at all costs."

Raichu nodded.

"Let's use Volt Tackle!"

Raichu started to run forward on all fours. Slowly, sparks started to emanate and explode from her body. She picked up enough speed and crashed into Crawdaunt. There was a small explosion, and smoke filled the air. When the smoke cleared, Raichu's body was lifeless while Crawdaunt only looked slightly injured.

Himawari returned Raichu and pulled out his next Poké Ball.

"You're still going to try to beat me?" the Aqua member asked. "I've trained my Crawdaunt to smash Electric-types into dust, so you stand no chance."

"Koiru, let's go!" Himawari called as he tossed his Poké Ball into the air. Magneton appeared. It glared intensely at Crawdaunt. "Use Tri-Attack!"

Three orbs of different colors appeared in front of the different faces of Magneton. They were all quickly joined together by an electric energy, and then Magneton shot the attack forward.

"Double Hit!"

Crawdaunt lifted his two pinsirs. He swung his arms twice, destroying two of the balls. The third broke through and connected directly. It didn't seem to do much, but then suddenly his entire body caught on fire. Crawdaunt screeched, and then the fire went away.

"A burn condition?" Himawari wondered. "Wonderful! Koiru, use Thunderbolt!"

Magneton unleashed its attack. Lightning exploded from his body and soared into the air. It came down crashing onto Crawdaunt, who lifted his pinsirs in an attempt to shield himself. He took the full force of the attack and then glared.

"Crawdaunt, use Razor Shell," he commanded.

Crawdaunt started to run forward as fast as his little legs could take him. He lifted his arm and a small dagger made of water appeared. He swiped it at Magneton, knocking the Steel-type backwards. Magneton quickly recovered though, and once again, fire overtook Crawdaunt's body.

"No matter how strong your Crawdaunt is, that burn effect will eventually do enough damage!" Himawari yelled.

"Guess that we have to beat you quickly then! Crawdaunt, use Double Hit!"

Crawdaunt began to swing his large pinsirs around haphazardly. He smashed into Magneton once, but before Magneton could fall, he swung much more and got in a second blow. Magneton crashed hard into the ground but slowly tried to float back into the air.

"Koiru, use Flash Cannon!"

Magneton began to charge its attack, but the Team Aqua member was quick.

"Night Slash!"

Crawdaunt lifted one of its large pinsirs into the air. A dark energy formed around the pinsir and he swung down, smashing into Magneton. The Steel-type fell to the ground, but did not recover this time. Crawdaunt screeched once more as the burn effect covered his body. Himawari returned his Pokémon and then quickly sent out his newly evolved Luxio.

"One more Pokémon to beat, huh?" the Aqua member wondered. "Vice Grip!"

"Don't let him get close, Kolink! Thunderbolt!"

Luxio jumped backwards as he unleashed his attack. The lightning came down on top of Crawdaunt as he attempted to lunge forward, and once the lightning stopped, Crawdaunt stood still. Luxio approached him slowly and examined him close.

"Be careful!" Himawari yelled, but it was too late.

Crawdaunt lunged forward and gripped tightly onto Luxio. He pulled the Pokémon closely and began to squeeze tightly with his pinsirs.

"Squash it!" the Aqua member commanded.

Crawdaunt followed his trainer's orders and began to squeeze harder, but before his attack could turn fatal, the burn effect took place. Crawdaunt screeched and loosened his grip on Luxio. Luxio fell to the ground and then backed away a few feet. He watched as Crawdaunt stumbled around.

"Kolink, let's finish this with Thunder Fang!"

Kolink nodded and then lunged forward. He opened his mouth and electric sparks started to fly. He crunched down onto the upper portion of Crawdaunt's arm, and the sparks covered both of them. Crawdaunt flailed around, and eventually, Luxio was forced to let go. He fell to the ground and watched as Crawdaunt struggled. Crawdaunt roared once more before collapsing.

The Aqua member looked at his Pokémon in shock. "Someone was actually able to beat you. I'm at a loss for words."

"Don't underestimate our Pokémon," Himawari snapped.

The Aqua member laughed. "Your friends are in deep trouble. Archie is so close to realizing his goal, and if you think he's going to show any mercy to them now, you're dead wrong. But it's too late anyways."

* * *

By this time, the area's torches were completely extinguished. The only thing that lit Mt. Pyre was now the moon and stars. Logan and Yurie ran quickly uphill where they could see two giant torches near a shrine. But they stopped when they heard a loud thumping noise. They looked into the air to notice a familiar aircraft coming towards the mountain.

"That's the aircraft from Mt. Chimney, right?" Yurie wondered.

"Yep," Logan said, out of breath.

As it got closer, the wind in the area blew harder. It landed roughly 50 meters away, and three people emerged from it. Team Magma's Leader, Maxie, noticed them immediately, but he turned away and walked towards the shrine. The other two members ran over to Logan and Yurie. One of them was the small and tubby Tabitha that they had beaten before. The other was a skinny teenage girl with purple curly hair. She wore the Team Magma hood on her head.

"It's been awhile," Tabitha said.

"These are the kids that gave you trouble on Mt. Chimney?" the girl asked.

"Don't get cocky, Courtney," Tabitha snapped. "We can't allow them to stop us now."

Logan looked up at the shrine and watched as Maxie entered. He glared and then pulled out his own Poké Ball.

"We're gonna fight together," Yurie said. "We can do this!"

"I'm going with Marshtomp!" Logan said as he tossed his Poké Ball. Marshtomp appeared and danced around a little. Once he noticed Team Magma, he stopped dancing and then appeared to get serious.

"I'll use Torchic!" Yurie announced. Torchic nodded and then ran out in front of Yurie.

Tabitha and Courtney threw their Poké Balls into the air. In front of Tabitha, a Pokémon made of lava with a giant stone on its back appeared. A beige Pokémon with multiple tails burst forth in front of Courtney.

Logan sighed. "We have the type advantage, but these Pokémon look really strong."

* * *

"Tentacruel, Poison Jab," the Aqua member ordered calmly.

"Shadow Punch!" Finn yelled.

The two Pokémon lunged forward. Dusknoir swung its massive fist while a few of Tentacruel's tentacles shot forward. Dusknoir landed a direct attack, but Tentacruel pushed forward and jabbed Dusknoir multiple times. Dusknoir floated back and gripped at his side. He had taken a lot of damage.

Finn examined his Pokémon closely. "No poison. We're safe."

"Why do you choose to fight us?" the Aqua member asked. "Has it not occurred to you that we could be saving Hoenn?"

Finn smiled. "I'll be honest. I have little to no idea what's going on, but you've wronged my buddy in the past, so I'm here to support him." He took a look around at the different fainted Pokémon. "Also, you've clearly not come in peace."

"The ends will justify the means," she snapped.

"Future Sight!" Finn ordered.

Dusknoir started to focus his energy and wave his arms in the air. A purple energy formed around his hands.

"Bubblebeam!"

Tentacruel floated into the air and revealed her mouth. She unleashed a flurry of bubbles towards Dusknoir. They landed directly, making Dusknoir float back a few more feet.

"Now use Ice Beam," she ordered calmly.

Tentacruel stayed in position and then released another beam of jagged ice energy. The beam landed directly, and part of Dusknoir's body froze. It had become difficult for him to stay afloat.

"Constrict!"

Tentacruel darted forward as fast as she could. She started to wrap her body around Dusknoir and squeeze tightly. Dusknoir let out a worried gasp.

"Dusknoir!" Finn yelled.

"This will be over soon…"

Suddenly, a purple energy formed over the two Pokémon, and Dusknoir started to laugh.

"You're right. And you fell right into my trap," Finn said.

A purple lightning exploded from the energy. It connected with Tentacruel directly, and the Pokémon retreated back a few feet.

"You talk a lot of game for someone who tried to use a Normal-type move on a Ghost-type Pokémon," Finn laughed.

Tentacruel stumbled and then glared at Finn.

"Poison Jab!"

"Thunder Punch!"

The two Pokémon lunged forward once more and used their attacks. Both hit directly, but then they paused and glared, pushing their attacks even further into one another. After awhile, they stopped pushing, and then they collapsed onto each other.

Finn lifted his Poké Ball and returned Dusknoir. "You did great."

The Aqua member returned her Pokémon. "We've stalled long enough. Archie surely has gotten the orb by now."

"Finn!" Himawari called from afar. He ran over the hill and to his friend. "Where are Yurie and Logan?"

"They kept going. We should get up there too," Finn explained.

The other Aqua member slowly walked over the hill, and they glared at one another. Himawari and Finn ignored them though, and they were on their way.

* * *

"Flamethrower!" the two Magma members ordered in unison.

Their two Pokémon opened their mouths as intense flames burst forth.

"Marshtomp, use Protect!" Logan yelled.

Marshtomp nodded and ran in front of Torchic. He put up his hands and a blue barrier of energy appeared around them. The flames engulfed the barrier in its entirety, but they were ultimately safe.

"Mud Shot!" Logan ordered.

"Torchic, follow him with Flame Burst!"

Marshtomp jumped forward and regurgitated a load of mud from his mouth while Torchic ran under him and released a ball of flame. The mud landed right in front of Team Magma's Pokémon, and it exploded around them. The ball of flame soon followed, erupting into a giant wave of flames. Team Magma's Pokémon took the attacks head on, but as soon as the smoke and dust cleared, they appeared to be fine.

"You're low-level Pokémon can't do anything against us," Courtney snapped.

"Ninetales, destroy them with Iron Tail!"

Ninetales ran forward as her multitude of tails started to glow a silvery color. She leapt into the air and swung her entire body around, smashing the tails into both Marshtomp and Torchic. Both of the Pokémon flew backwards, and they landed on one another in a heap. They struggled to stand back up, but through sheer willpower, they did.

"I think we may be biting off more than we can chew," Yurie muttered.

"Rock Slide!" Tabitha yelled.

Magcargo eyes started to glow, and the ground below him started to shake. He lifted dozens of stones from the earth with his energy and tossed them straight towards Marshtomp and Torchic.

"Protect!" Logan desperately screamed.

Marshtomp lifted his arms once more and the barrier appeared again. It worked, and the stones did nothing to him and Torchic. Once the attack stopped, Marshtomp lowered his arms and started to breathe heavily.

"Fire Spin!" Courtney commanded.

"Use your own Fire Spin!" Yurie instructed.

Torchic stepped in front of Marshtomp and a swirling line of flames blasted from his mouth. The two Pokémon's attacks connected in the middle of their battlefield. Ninetales' attack was seemingly strong, and it began to push back on Torchic's flames.

"Water Gun!"

Marshtomp opened his mouth wide and unleashed a steady stream of water from his mouth. The combined power of Torchic and Marshtomp's attack worked and pushed back a little bit.

"Magcargo, Flamethrower!"

The lava slug used his attack, which combined with Ninetales' Fire Spin. The four attacks collided for awhile, and it became a battle of wills. Eventually, the attacks gave in and exploded, filling the area with smoke.

"Body Slam!"

"Headbutt!" the two Magma members voices' called.

Logan and Yurie could not see what happened, but suddenly, Marshtomp and Torchic were tossed from the smoke. They landed in a heap in front of their trainers' feet, exhausted and unable to move.

Logan bent over and returned Marshtomp back to its Poké Ball, while Yurie held tightly onto Torchic.

"What do you say we do?" Yurie asked.

Logan glanced over to the shrine once more. "We just have to be quick. Whatever it is, we have to do it fast."

Duskull and Shuppet appeared in front of the trainers. They glared at the Team Magma members and then glanced at one another and nodded.

"I think they want to fight for their home," Logan said.

The Ghost-type Pokémon smiled at Logan and Yurie.

"Let's do this!" Yurie said. She quickly checked their moves with her Pokédex and tried to memorize them. "I'm not quite sure what these do…"

"We'll be okay," Logan said. "Duskull, use Confuse Ray!"

"Uh… Shuppet, try Shadow Ball?"

"Earth Power!" Tabitha yelled.

"Iron Tail!" Courtney added.

Magcargo's eyes started to glow as he pulled a giant stone from the earth. It held the stone in the air and prepared to drop it on his opponents. But Duskull was quick. He unleashed a small shadowy gas from his body, and it covered Ninetales while she charged forward. The gas entered her body, and she began to look around confused. She stumbled and then focused on Magcargo. Without warning, she charged at her partner and smashed her multiple tails into his back. Magcargo yelped and then released his attack. The giant stone fell from the sky, but it missed, shaking the field once it smashed the ground. Shuppet formed dark energy in front of her mouth and then unleashed a concentrated ball towards her opponents. The ball collided with Ninetales and immediately exploded. When the smoke cleared, both of Team Magma's Pokémon remained standing. They glared at the Ghost-types.

"Well, we made an impact," Logan said.

"But maybe not enough," Yurie muttered.

"Flamethrower!" the Magma members yelled.

"Shadow Sneak!" Logan and Yurie ordered simultaneously. They looked at each other and smiled.

As the Fire-types unleashed their attacks, Duskull and Shuppet sank into the ground and disappeared. The fire completely missed, and once they stopped their attack, only Magcargo and Ninetales remained on the field. They looked around for their opponents frantically. From their shadows, Duskull and Shuppet emerged. They pulled a black energy from the shadows and then smashed it onto the Fire-types, making them screech in pain.

"Rock Slide!" Tabitha commanded.

"Iron Tail!" Courtney screamed.

The two Pokémon turned to attack, but the Ghost-types had already disappeared. Once again, Ninetales' confusion took over, and she swung her tails at Magcargo. The lava snail was tossed back by the sheer force of the attack and withdrew into his shell once he collided with the ground.

"Shadow Ball!" Yurie ordered.

Shuppet came from above and tossed another ball of energy towards Ninetales. It connected directly once more and exploded. Once the smoke cleared, Ninetales collapsed to the ground, unable to continue.

"Yes!" Logan exclaimed.

"I can't believe it…" Tabitha muttered. "Not again…"

"We gotta go," Yurie said. Logan nodded and the two started to run towards the shrine. Duskull and Shuppet followed.

When they entered, everything went quiet. They found Maxie and Archie standing face to face and glaring at one another. An old woman and old man sat in between them. They looked worried, but too weak to actually do anything. Maxie and Archie looked at Logan and Yurie, and they shook their heads.

"I can't believe that my admins have failed to squash you," Archie said. He grinned and lifted a shining blue orb in his hand and showed it off. "But we've got what we've come for, so it doesn't matter."

Maxie readjusted his glasses. "It looks like we're both nearing the final stretch of our goals, Archie."

"Are you two working together?" Yurie asked. "We'll stop you!"

Archie laughed. "Team Aqua work with fools like Team Magma? I don't think so."

"You won't be able to stop either one of us," Maxie said calmly. "Only Team Magma has the power to beat Team Aqua and vice-versa."

"We'll just have to move faster than you," Archie said. "And we will."

Maxie turned to Logan. "Boy, this is your last chance to join Team Magma. We can stop Team Aqua together and make Hoenn a perfect place."

"Or you can join us!" Archie boasted. "Team Aqua will expand the beautiful sea and create a world where water Pokémon live unharmed."

Logan looked at both of them. "I don't think our world is perfect."

"Logan…"

"But, I think you both are misguided, and at the end of the day, if you're both not stopped then Hoenn and even the whole world will suffer greatly. I beg you. Stop what you're doing."

Archie clicked his tongue and then sighed. He lifted a Poké Ball towards the back wall. "Too bad, kid." Suddenly, a Pokémon burst from the Poké Ball and used a powerful attack to destroy the wall. The entire shrine was filled with smoke and dust, and once it cleared, both Archie and Maxie were gone. Logan looked outside to see the Team Magma helicopter flying away. Archie was nowhere to be seen.

"We failed…" Logan muttered.

"No…" the old woman said. She looked up at Logan, tears in her eyes. "We failed. We were not strong enough to defend the orbs."

The old man sighed. "And what they plan to do with them, we have no idea, but I do fear for the future of Hoenn."

Himawari and Finn finally reached the shrine. Out of breath, Himawari put his hand on Logan's shoulder. "Did we win?"

Logan shook his head. "They got away. The admins kept us busy for too long, and they were too powerful."

A worried look came over Finn's face. "What were they after?"

"The blue and red orbs," the old woman said softly. "It's believed that they can use these orbs to control ancient Hoenn Pokémon. Our job has been to protect the orbs since we were young."

"I think that we just got too used to peace," the old man added.

"Should we go after them?" Himawari asked. "If I'm being honest, they wiped the floor with me. I barely made it out."

Yurie nodded. "I love my Pokémon and believe in them, but they were a different kind of power."

Finn and Logan looked at one another. They remained silent.

The old man stood up slowly with the help of his cane. He approached the trainers and put his hand on Yurie's shoulder. "We will handle it. Our granddaughter is a very strong trainer, and she's well known throughout Hoenn. We will be in contact with her, and she will handle it."

"This is not your fight," the old woman added.

The four trainers looked at one another, unsure of how to reply.

"Go and be trainers and focus on your goals. Let the strongest trainers in Hoenn handle this," the old man said.

The four all returned to Route 121, but they were silent the whole time. The attitude that each of them had before had changed, and there was a solemn feeling throughout the group. When they got back to the mainland, they all turned and looked at Mt. Pyre.

Yurie sighed. "I feel like we failed…"

"We did," Logan said quietly.

Finn tried to smile. "Guys, we did our best, and they reassured us that it'd be taken care of. It's out of our hands."

Himawari nodded. "As much as I hate being the guy who always encourages to back away from fights, I think I'll agree. We got whooped. If we really want to take on Magma and Aqua, we're going to need to be stronger."

"Then I'll keep training."

"Me too."

"I'm in."

The four all smiled at one another, and they looked up at Mt. Pyre once more. Two small figures were floating above the pond and quickly coming closer to them. Logan and Yurie squinted their eyes, and they soon could make out the shapes of a Duskull and Shuppet.

"What's wrong?" Yurie asked as they got closer.

Shuppet smiled at her and began to chant her own name. She floated in circles around Yurie while the trainer appeared to just be confused.

Logan grinned at Duskull who was nervously staring back at him. "Do you want to join us?" Duskull nodded frantically.

"That sounds wonderful!" Yurie said. "I'd love to have you join my team, Shuppet!"

"And I'm sure we can become very strong together, Duskull!" Logan added.

The two Ghost-type Pokémon cheered. Duskull reached towards Logan's belt and grabbed a regular Poké Ball. He pushed the button and was quickly absorbed. Meanwhile, Yurie pulled a Great Ball from her bag and lightly pushed the button against Shuppet's head. Both of the Poké Balls let out their signature _ding_ almost immediately, and the Pokémon were now apart of the team.

"I guess today's not all that bad," Himawari said with a grin. His stomach started to growl. "Let's get some food."

"I want some Lilycove City Kurobuta!" Yurie exclaimed excitedly.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Was worried for a second. Wasn't sure how to get a food item mentioned in such a dramatic chapter. But I did it!

Next chapter will focus Lilycove City Contest. How do you think Yurie will do? She still needs two more ribbons.


	35. Cinnamon French Toast

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 35 - Cinnamon French Toast**

* * *

The group had arrived in Lilycove City at night, and they quickly found the Pokémon Center. Lilycove City was similar to Rustboro in size. Although they arrived late, the nightlife was busy. Multiple shops were packed with tourists, and the streets were lit with red lamps that hung up on strings. A small tram roamed the streets to give people a mode of quick public transportation.

After giving their Pokémon to Nurse Joy, they each took a shower, and then were in bed. The next morning, Yurie woke up early while the others slept in. She went to the courtyard with her Pokémon and talked strategy.

"So, Lairon is going to work with me today," she said. Her Pokémon all nodded, and Lairon happily smiled. "We'll be battling together. I think that having you around for battles is my best option." She looked around at her other Pokémon. "Before I have Shuppet or Turtwig compete, I want you to first watch a contest. Afterwards, we'll be able to work together, so I'm gonna ask you to sit out for this one." Shuppet looked slightly disappointed, but Turtwig still did not completely comprehend what was going on, so she smiled nonetheless.

"Torchic!" the Fire-type chirped.

Yurie thought for a moment and then nodded. "You haven't had an appeal in awhile, so I think I'll go with Torchic on this one." The Fire-type cheered. "Alright, let's do some preparation!"

The group trained with one another for a few hours until it was right before lunchtime. Shuppet play fought with Turtwig to prepare the Pokémon for real battle while Lairon sparred with Minun and Masquerain. Yurie worked closely with Torchic to create an interesting appeal, and they soon had a solid plan.

Logan walked out to the picnic area carrying a plate of thick slices of bread. In his other hand was a giant bottle of syrup. He put the plate down and watched as Yurie's Pokémon trained with one another, and he grinned. "You've really become a decent trainer, Yurie."

She looked back at him. "You think so?" Yurie and her Pokémon all made their way to the table. "What'd you make me?"

"This is my cinnamon french toast! My grandma used to make me this all the time, and I figured that I can share it with you!" he explained.

Yurie took a slice and put it on her own plate. She poured a little bit of syrup onto, and put her hands together. "Itadakimasu!" She took a bite.

"How is it?" Logan asked after a few seconds of waiting for a reaction.

"It's very sweet!" she replied. "It's very good, but very sweet! Is this why people from Unova are chunky?"

Logan's face scrunched up. "What? We're not chunky! People from Hoenn are too skinny!" He felt at his lovehandles. He had lost considerable weight since being in Hoenn.

Yurie laughed and finished her piece. She ate a few more to make Logan feel better while he moped around and silently ate his own.

* * *

"Welcome, everyone, to the Lilycove Winter Contest! Like usual, we have a stacked cast of coordinators today!" the announcer yelled into her microphone. She held up a pink ribbon with silver lining on it. "The Lilycove ribbon is always one of the most sought after ribbons, and our contestants will be competing for this one here today!"

"It's so pretty!" Yurie said. She sat in the back with Torchic on her lap. Up in the stands, Logan sat with Turtwig and Shuppet. Himawari and Finn would be joining him after they bought snacks.

"As usual, we'll start with the Performance Stage! Coordinators, show off your Pokémon and their abilities, and let's make it a good show!"

Yurie did not recognize a lot of the coordinators that were at this particular contest, but all of them struck her as incredibly strong and confident. The energy in the air was a little bit different than usual, and most of the coordinators avoided talking to each other. Being this late in the season, contests had become unexpectedly competitive. It was nearing the final stretch, so no one wanted to lose.

The coordinators went one by one and appealed to the judges. Yurie watched each performance intently, making mental notes of every trainer and what kind of strategy they used. Eventually, her name was called, and she walked down the hallway with Torchic.

"Let's do our best," she said with a smile. She gave Torchic a thumbs up, but her body shook with nerves, and Torchic noticed. He smiled back at her.

"Kawahara Yurie has already won three ribbons, and she's proven herself quite the competitor!" the announcer yelled. "Let's see what she brings to the stage today!"

"Torchic, let's go!" Yurie exclaimed. Torchic ran out onto the stage and posed in the middle. "Start with Fire Spin at the ground!"

Torchic opened his mouth and then pointed it at the ground. He released flames, which began to circle around him as they connected with the ground. Eventually, they surrounded him completely, and the energy of the blast started to lift him into the air. Torchic's body shot into the air as flames whirled in the center of the stage. Torchic, now airborne, stopped his attack and waited for Yurie's next command.

"Flame Burst! Make it look strong!" Yurie instructed.

Torchic took in a deep breath and shot a small blast of flames towards the eye of the flame tornado. Once the small blast reached the ground, it exploded, sending the whirling flames into the air, once again, surrounding Torchic. Torchic fell to the ground and looked up at the aerial flaming tornado.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Aerial Ace?" Himawari wondered.

Logan nodded. "Yep. She asked if she could borrow my TM's last night. I guess she taught Torchic that little gem."

Torchic's beak began to glow, and he leapt into the air. Once he reached the bottom of the tornado, he was seemingly sucked in. Torchic followed the energy and flow of the flames, circling towards the top of the tornado. He emerged from the top in dramatic fashion, and the fire tornado exploded. Torchic landed safely back on the ground and posed as little specks of fire energy rained down on him. The crowd cheered and clapped loudly.

"Torchic shows off that size doesn't matter when it comes to power! Also, what an incredible movepool that he has with a dazzling Aerial Ace!" the announcer yelled.

"Torchic has gotten really strong," Logan noted.

Finn grinned. "I was curious, so I did some little studying of my own on your individual Pokémon. Torchic exudes the same amount of energy that a Combusken would, so I think it's safe to say that he could evolve at any moment. That is, if he wanted to."

Yurie grabbed ahold of Torchic and hugged him tightly. She ran back to the locker room and looked at the other coordinators. Most of them avoided her gaze, but one of the trainers smiled at her.

"You did good," the trainer said. She was a trainer around the same age as Logan. Her oval face and almond colored eyes were framed by her black hair, which was cut into an asymmetrical bob cut. She wore blue jeans, a purple shirt, and grey cardigan, and in her arms, she held a small Pokémon with white poofy wool that she had used in her appeal. She approached Yurie.

"Thank you!" Yurie said. She pet the girl's Pokémon on the head. "Your Pokémon is so cute."

"This is Wooloo. Brought him from the Galar region with me," the girl said. "I'm Naomi Morgan. A lot of people back home just call me Morgan though."

Yurie looked at her and smiled. "Yurie! You're from Galar?"

She nodded. "Yep, but my mom is from Johto, so I'm half."

"Sugoi!" Yurie exclaimed.

The two sat down and watched the rest of the appeals. It did not take very long for them to finish, and the announcer soon called for everyone's attention.

"Okay, it's time to reveal who will be moving onto the Battle Stage! Everyone did fantastic, so figuring out who would be moving on was not easy, but the judges have made their decision! Please bring your attention to the screen!"

Everyone looked up as a small tournament bracket appeared on the screen. Four cards with silhouettes of different coordinators were situated at the bottom of the bracket, and they all quickly revealed themselves. On the far right was Naomi's face and her deadpan expression while on the far left was Yurie with her wide grin.

Both of the girls let out a sigh of relief, and they smiled at each other.

"Looks like we could be battling in the finals," Naomi said.

"I'm excited for it!"

"Coordinators, please take a 15 minute break! We'll start with our first round with Naomi Morgan vs. Kaminaga Ryutaro!"

"I'm gonna go practice for a bit," Naomi said. She stood up and walked away.

Yurie sat still and looked at her Luxury Ball. She was going to battle alongside Lairon, and although he had been listening recently, she was still nervous. After awhile, Logan came down to the locker room and sat next to Yurie.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

She sighed. "I'm nervous. But we're going to do our best."

"Lairon is incredibly strong, but you've also gotten good as a trainer, so you'll be fine."

Yurie stayed quiet.

"And as much as I know you don't want to do this, Lairon can overpower anything. You can reach a battle off without a problem."

Yurie shook her head. "We're going to win with elegance and beauty." The two of them laughed.

The two sat and talked for a little while longer until it was time for Logan to go back.

The announcer called for everyone's attention, and they started the Battle Stage. Naomi and her opponent went to their respective sides and chose their Pokémon. Naomi had used a Pokémon that Yurie had not seen before. The Pokémon had a small tan body, but what stuck out the most about it was a set of large jaws that came from the back of its head. Yurie watched in amazement as Naomi and her Pokémon were able to deplete their opponent's points completely. Yurie knew that she would have a challenge ahead of her.

Naomi and her opponent returned to the backroom, and Naomi smiled at Yurie. Her opponent looked dejected. He grabbed his bag and left without a word.

"Good luck, Yurie," Naomi said.

"Next will be Kawahara Yurie vs. Nonoka Higuma! Can our contestants make it to the stage?" the announcer's voice called. The crowd cheered.

The two trainers stood up and started to walk towards the stage. Yurie's opponent looked about the same age as her, but she was a lot more nervous. She held her head down almost the whole time that they walked through the hallway.

"You-you're from Littleroot Town, right?" she asked quietly.

Yurie nodded. "Yep! How'd you know that?"

"I-I'm from Oldale. I started my journey a couple days after you, I think. Professor Birch came and gave me and my friends Pokémon. We competed in the Rustboro contest together, but I didn't make it very far," she said. Her voice had gotten a little bit louder with every sentence.

"I see! Well, let's show everyone what we can do then, yeah?"

"Sounds fun."

The two walked to their sides of the stage and prepared for their battle. As soon as the announcer gave them the signal, they tossed their Poké Balls into the air. Lairon appeared on the stage and swaggered himself into a battle position. On Higuma's side of the stage, a small brown Pokémon with a long pointy nose and a green leaf hanging off of his head appeared. He folded his arms and laughed at Lairon.

"Nuzleaf, start with Leaf Blade!" Higuma ordered. Her demeanor had suddenly changed, and her eyes were filled with intensity.

Nuzleaf ran forward. He jumped into the air and the long leaf on his head started to glow. He flipped and slashed the leaf at Lairon, who took the attack, but ultimately remained unphased.

"Great! Use Iron Head!"

Lairon nodded and then lowered his head. He dashed forward and smashed into Nuzleaf. Nuzleaf flew back into the air and did a few backflips. He landed perfectly though and grinned as the crowd awed in his acrobatic skills.

"Razor Wind!"

The leaf on Nuzleaf's head started to glow once more. He twisted his head, shooting built up energy from the leaf straight towards Lairon. Once again, the Steel-type took the attack without flinching.

"Why isn't she using Protect?" Himawari wondered.

"One thing that I read a while back is that some contest judges like to see Pokémon show off their strength. By not dodging or flinching, Lairon looks totally strong," Finn explained.

Logan looked up at the points on the board. Both trainers were about even with 85% left.

"Rock Slide!"

Lairon started to focus his energy, and the stage began to rumble. The area around Lairon cracked, and stones levitated from the earth. With a roar, Lairon shot the stones straight towards Nuzleaf.

"Let's Low Kick them away!"

Nuzleaf looked wary but used his attack anyways. He leapt forward and kicked at one of the stones. It flew back, putting a stop to a few of the other stones, but most of the attack continued. Nuzleaf was overtaken by the force of the stones and soon buried. Once the attack stopped, Nuzleaf slowly emerged. He had clearly taken a lot of damage.

"Use Bullet Seed!" Higuma ordered.

"Lairon, try Double-Edge!"

Nuzleaf released a flurry of small green pellets of energy from his mouth as Lairon ran forward. Lairon took every single bit of Nuzleaf's attack, but he did not flinch once. He reached Nuzleaf quickly, and their bodies collided. Nuzleaf did a backflip and landed perfectly, but his legs soon gave him, and he collapsed to one knee.

Before Higuma could give her next order, the buzzer sounded. All of Nuzleaf's points had been depleted, and Yurie was the winner.

"It looks like the judges have decided that Lairon's power is too much for Nuzleaf, and we have our winner! Moving on to face Naomi in the final round is Yurie!"

Higuma walked over to her Nuzleaf and sighed while she petted his leaf. "We did our best, and that's what matters."

Yurie and Higuma returned to the back together as the announcer told everyone that there would be another small break.

"Your Lairon is really strong," Naomi said as they returned. "I'm going to have to step up my game."

"Thanks for the battle, Yurie," Higuma said while she grabbed her bag. "I hope to see you again someday. Unfortunately, I have no way of making it to the Grand Festival."

Yurie was taken aback. "Are you giving up?"

She shook her head. "No. I think the best way to get better is to keep going, so I'll keep competing. Good luck to both of you." With that, she walked out of the back room, leaving the two finalists alone.

Naomi smiled. "Down to me and you. Are you ready?"

Yurie looked at her Luxury Ball. "I am."

The five minute break passed by quickly, and the announcer called for Yurie and Naomi to come to the stage. As they entered, the crowd cheered loudly. Yurie took a close look at the crowd and stage for the first time in the contest. She was usually so focused on her Pokémon that she never looked at the crowd, but this audience surprised her. It was possibly the biggest stage that she had been on yet. Thousands of eyes were on her, and for the first time in a long while, she felt nervous to be on stage.

"Alright, coordinators!" the announcer yelled while Naomi and Yurie got to their positions. "Begin!"

Yurie and Naomi tossed their Poké Balls into the air, and Lairon and Mawile appeared as the countdown started. They glared at one another.

"Mawile, we'll start with Sweet Scent!" Naomi instructed.

Mawile began to dance as a light pink powder appeared from her body. She blew powder into the air, and it fell down onto the stage, including Lairon. Lairon sniffed the air and then grinned.

"Use Iron Head!" Yurie ordered.

Lairon looked back and then shook his head. He sniffed the air once more and relished in the sweet aroma.

"Oh no…" Yurie muttered.

"In that case, we'll use our own Iron Head!" Naomi called.

Mawile nodded and then lowered her head. She began to run forward and smashed her head into Lairon. Lairon fell back slightly, and his spell from the aroma was broken. He glared once more, ducked his head, and then jumped, smashing his body against Mawile. Mawile flew back and landed on the ground hard. She winced as she stood back up, but was ultimately fine.

"One more Sweet Scent!"

Mawile started to dance again and the light pink powder appeared once more.

"Don't give her the chance! Let's use Double-Edge!"

Lairon roared and then bounded forward as fast as he could. But moments before he could connect with Mawile, Naomi made her next command.

"Fairy Wind!"

Mawile's eyes started to glow, and she twisted her body. Suddenly, pink energy exploded from her body, blowing the sweet aroma and powerful fairy energy towards Lairon. Lairon was caught in the force of the wind and, to everyone's surprise, was lifted high into the air. Lairon's body was tossed backwards, and he landed with a hard crash in front of Yurie.

"Incredible," Yurie muttered.

Naomi shrugged. "Guess we stepped our game up."

Lairon struggled to move his large body, but eventually stood strong once more and roared at Mawile. Mawile blushed and snickered.

"We're about to see a battle between two very strong Steel-types," Logan noted. "Let's see who has the better iron will."

Himawari laughed. "What?"

"Lairon, use Rock Slide!"

Lairon nodded and began to focus his energy. The area that he had crashed into started to rumble, and he pulled the stones from the ground using his energy. He then roared as the stones flew directly towards Mawile.

"Dodge them!"

Mawile leapt into the air. She landed on one of the stones, and then used her momentum to get even higher into the air.

"Flamethrower!" Naomi ordered.

Mawile twisted her body and pointed her larger set of jaws towards Lairon. The giant maw unhinged and blasted a steady but intense stream of flames straight at her opponent.

"Protect!"

Lairon once more focused his energy and a blue barrier appeared around his body. The flames bounced off of the barrier, and Lairon remained unphased.

"Iron Head!" both of the trainers called.

Mawile twisted her body once more and pointed her head towards the ground, shooting straight for Lairon. Meanwhile, Lairon ran as fast as he could. He leapt into the air, and both of the Pokémon's skulls collided, sending a loud clunk throughout the entire stadium. Both Pokémon fell to the ground in a heap, but they stood up and parted from one another as fast as they could.

"Flamethrower!"

"Use Rock Slide to shield yourself!"

As Mawile released flames from her large jaws, Lairon focused his energy and tossed stones into the air to cover his body. The flames covered the stones completely, but Lairon was shielded and safe. As soon as Mawile stopped, Lairon used his energy to shoot the stones towards his opponents. Mawile was quickly covered in the heated stones and screeched from the pain.

"What?" Naomi yelled.

"That's fascinating. Lairon doesn't have a move that can effectively damage Mawile, but by having the stones absorb the flames and then using those same stones to attack, Yurie basically made her own Fire-type attack," Logan noted. "Intentional or not, Yurie may have just turned things around for herself."

"Double-Edge!" Yurie called.

Lairon ran forward as fast as he can, and he crashed into the pile of rocks, sending rubble and Mawile into the air.

"One more Fairy Wind!" Naomi ordered.

Mawile struggled but started to focus her energy while she was still in the air. Her eyes glowed a bright pink as she released fairy energy from her body. The wind blew back some of the broken stones into Lairon and eventually lifted him into the air. His body was flung backwards, and both Pokémon landed on their respective sides of the field. They both collapsed as the buzzer sounded.

"Time is up, trainers! Let's take a look at the results!" the announcer yelled.

Everyone turned their attention to the board as the graphics began to transition. Both Naomi's and Yurie's faces appeared on the screen with their points displayed below. The points looked pretty much even, and then crowd began to talk with each other, debating over who won.

"It looks like we have a tie!" the announcer said. "In the event of a tie, we will take it to the judges. The three judges will then each vote for who they think should win, and whoever gets two out of three votes will be walking away with the Lilycove Winter Ribbon!"

The crowd all mumbled to each other as the judges talked. The crowd started to become impatient, and within a few moments, each one of the judges walked to the middle of the stage.

The first judge, the local Nurse Joy from Lilycove, took the mic, and the crowd went quiet. "I have cast my vote for Kawahara Yurie and Lairon."

She handed the microphone over to a small bald man wearing a tan suit. He smiled as he took the mic. "My vote has gone to Naomi Morgan and Mawile."

The last judge was a well dressed man with slicked back grey and black hair. He held the microphone in a dramatic fashion and looked over the crowd. "So, my vote will decide the winner. In that case…" He paused for dramatic effect and the entire crowd went silent. "Kawahara Yurie and Lairon!"

The crowd started to cheer as Yurie ran out onto the stage and hugged Lairon. She pulled him as close as she could and rejoiced with her Steel-type. "We did it, Lairon!"

The announcer walked over to Yurie and Lairon and held out the ribbon. "I'm happy to give this ribbon to you, Yurie!"

Yurie stood up and grabbed the ribbon and held it high. "Yatta!"

"Lairon!" her Pokémon called out happily. He suddenly froze and his body started to glow. He gave one more smile to Yurie before his entire body was overtaken by the white energy. His body started to shift and change, and he grew much bigger, now standing on two legs. The white energy exploded off of his body, and a new Pokémon stood where Lairon once was.

Logan and Himawari stared at the new Pokémon in a silent shock. "Oh no."

Yurie smiled and moved to give her new Pokémon a hug. "It looks like you've evolved again!"

"Aggron!" the Pokémon cried out angrily towards Yurie. He lifted his arm into the air and began to swing it towards his trainer.

Suddenly, Mawile jumped in front of Yurie and stopped Aggron's arm with her large jaws. Yurie looked at Aggron once more who angrily stared back. Yurie groaned and returned Aggron to her Luxury Ball.

"Not again…"

* * *

Back at the Pokémon Center, Yurie, Naomi, Logan, Himawari, and Finn all sat. Yurie stared at her new ribbon, but she lacked her usual happy expression.

"I mean, at least you won with Lairon," Himawari said. "He was listening to you, and that's a good sign!"

"And Aggron will eventually come around," Logan added.

"I take it Lairon had issues of not listening before?" Naomi asked.

"Since Aggron was a little Aron, he's always been a little bit… problematic," Logan explained.

Naomi sighed and looked at Yurie. She stood up and grabbed Yurie by the shoulders. "You have good friends, Yurie."

"Huh?" Yurie muttered.

"But I'm gonna tell you something that they won't tell you. You need to get over yourself. Being a Pokémon Trainer-being a Pokémon Coordinator, it is not easy. If you think it's going to be easy, then you need to just quit. You need to show Aggron that you're worth it, and you need to not feel sorry for yourself," she said. She pointed at Yurie's new ribbon. "You won this for a reason. Prove to Aggron that you're worth being his trainer, or let him go and just quit."

Tears started to form in Yurie's eyes, but Naomi leaned forward and gave her a slight hug.

Finn stood up. "Guess that's Galar for you." He grabbed his bag and put it around his shoulder. "I'll be seeing you guys again, but I think it's time that I get going. Only a few more badges to win."

Logan grinned. "And then we'll meet in the Hoenn League finals?"

Finn held a thumbs up. "You know it."

Naomi pat Yurie on the cheek. "You'll be fine." She stood up. "But I'm going to get out of here too. I can't get behind anymore."

"Care to travel together for awhile?" Finn asked. "My dad's from Johto, so I'm half like you, but I've never been there. I'm curious to hear all about it."

"Sounds good," Naomi responded. "Let's get going."

With that, the two trainers said their goodbyes, and they were out the Pokémon Center's doors. Logan and Himawari looked at Yurie who just sat still in her chair.

"You gonna be okay?" Logan asked.

Yurie nodded. She looked up. "I have one more ribbon to win and then the Grand Festival. By the time I'm there, Aggron and I will be a team."

Logan and Himawari smiled.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

I really like the Aggron arc. I like writing for such a strong Pokémon with an inexperienced trainer like Yurie. There's something interesting about it, I think. But I could be wrong!

Thanks to wisdom-jewel for her OC, Naomi Morgan. Naomi will be appearing at least once more. Thanks for reading!


	36. Shabu Shabu

**Chapter 36 - Shabu Shabu**

* * *

Logan and Yurie sat in the Pokémon Center diner. Logan was looking at a paper map of Hoenn and studying up on the gyms while Yurie used her PokéNav to look up news on contests.

"Well, I'm a little behind," Yurie muttered. "Both Michika and Yui have won enough ribbons to compete in the Hoenn Grand Festival…"

Logan smiled. "You still have awhile. Don't panic. We should be happy for them!"

"I am!" Yurie said. She looked at her PokéNav once more. "I think that my next contest is going to be in Pacifidlog Town. It's a little far though, and I'm not sure how I'm going to get there. Where's your next gym?"

"I can go to either Mossdeep City or Sootopolis to compete for my next badge. Mossdeep is a little bit out of the way, but I'm thinking I should get that one done first," Logan explained. "I have to cross the ocean though."

Yurie looked at the map and noticed the distance between the two cities. "I see. So…"

"So?" Logan wondered.

"Is this is it?"

"What do you mean?"

Yurie sighed. "We've been traveling together since I got Torchic, but we've always been on the same path, so it was convenient, I guess. But, it looks like we're going to different places now."

"Ah," Logan said. "I guess I see what you mean." He looked at the map. "When is your contest?"

"In roughly two weeks. It may be my last chance to get a ribbon too."

Logan thought for a moment while he looked at the map. "If you want to keep traveling together, we can. It may be easiest for us to go to Mossdeep first. I can beat the gym with no problem, I bet. And then we'll immediately set out for Pacifidlog once I win my next gym badge."

"A ferry from here to Mossdeep takes two days, and then a ferry from Mossdeep to Pacifidlog takes two and a half days, so we may be safe," Yurie said. "I am worried though."

"I was thinking we can take a different mode of transportation. It'll be a lot faster," Logan said.

"What is it?"

Logan grinned from ear to ear. "I have to make some phone calls, but let me handle it!"

* * *

Eventually Himawari joined them, and the three went out for lunch. Yurie found a small restaurant that she was interested in, and they sat at a small table. Himawari and Yurie had no issue sitting on the floor. Himawari sat with his legs crossed while Yurie knelt down and sat on her own shins. Logan tried to sit with his legs crossed, but they kept going numb, and he had to change positions every few minutes. Yurie ordered the food, and the waiter brought a small pot filled with soup and vegetables to the table.

Logan took a look at it and grinned. "Is this that stuff that we had when I first came to Littleroot Town?"

"Similar, but not exactly! This is called shabushabu, but we're going to be eating a Lilycove City specialty!" Yurie explained.

"Kurobuta!" Himawari exclaimed. "Some of the best meat you can get in all of Hoenn!"

The waiter dropped off a big plate with thin pieces of meat laid out onto it. Logan's mouth watered as he watched Yurie put the meat into the hot pot of soup.

"Now, when it cooks all the way though, you can eat it," Yurie said.

She picked up an uncracked egg and cracked it against the table, dumping out the insides into her small bowl. She used her chopsticks to mix up the egg. Himawari did the same, and Logan soon followed, still not great with chopsticks. Yurie pulled a piece of meat from the pot and put it into her bowl. Himawari pulled out his own piece, and then gave one to Logan. Yurie and Himawari mixed the meat inside the juices of the egg and then ate it with one big bite. Both of them visually rejoiced as the taste of kurobuta coursed through their bodies. Logan nervously looked at the meat dipped with raw egg. He pulled it out with his chopsticks and stuck it into his mouth. Immediately, he could taste the succulent juices of the meat and egg together. The meat seemingly melted in his mouth, and his eyes rolled back.

"It's so good," he moaned.

"Don't be weird, Logan," Himawari muttered.

The door to the restaurant opened and a familiar face entered. The three looked up towards Yurie's old classmate, Yuta. He removed his dark green jacket and put it on the coat rack.

"Long time no see," he said with a deadpan expression on his face.

"Yuta!" Logan said. "We're eating kurobuta!"

"I can see that."

Yurie thought for a moment and looked at the spot next to her. "You can join us, if you want to. But don't feel obligated!"

Yuta looked at the small cushion on the floor and then the food. "Okay."

Yuta sat down on his shins similar to Yurie, and the waiter brought him a bowl.

"So, who's this?" Himawari asked. "Don't mean to be rude."

"This is Kato Yuta. He's also from Littleroot Town," Yurie said.

Yuta smiled. "I recognize you as the little referee boy from Mauville. Too bad you don't recognize me."

"I'm not a little ref boy!" Himawari snapped. "I'm taller than you!"

"Let's calm down," Logan said as he stuffed another piece of meat into his mouth.

Before Yuta could take a bite of his food, he looked up at Logan. "So, how are your gym badges coming along?"

"I need two more," Logan exclaimed with meat stuff in his mouth. "You?"

"One more to go. I've been training really hard to prepare for it, though."

"I have four ribbons, which means that I need one more!" Yurie said with a smile. "Maybe I'm not that bad of a trainer, huh, Yuta?"

Yuta took a bite. "Maybe not a bad trainer, but I've met good trainers that are still idiots."

Yurie and Himawari both glared at him. Logan noticed this and grinned. "Let's all calm down and enjoy this wonderful meal, guys!"

The group finished the meal in silence, and once they were done, they all went out onto the streets of Lilycove.

"So, what is there to do in Lilycove?" Logan asked while he looked at all of the giant buildings. "Is there anything else that I should see before we move on?"

"They have a well known shopping mall," Yuta said. "If you're into that kind of thing, it could be fun."

"Fun?" Himawari wondered. "You don't strike me as the kind of person who has fun, Yuta."

Yuta scowled. "I can have fun."

"What kind of fun do you have?" Himawari asked.

"I have fun when I am battling with my Pokémon," Yuta responded quietly.

Logan grinned. "I get that!" He turned to Yuta. "But there is more to this world than Pokémon battles."

"I can't lose sight of my goals, though."

Logan lifted one of his Poké Balls. "Let's make a deal, Yuta. I'll have a battle with you right here, right now. But then you have to spend a day with us having fun."

Yuta smirked. "I'd love a battle."

The group moved to a spot in the city where they would have enough space to battle. It was a small park where many people sat in the grass and relaxed. A group of teenage boys danced around a boombox while teenage girls marveled at their skills.

"How does two on two with no substitutions sound?" Yuta asked.

"Sounds fine to me!" Logan replied.

Yuta grabbed his Poké Ball from his belt and tossed it onto their battlefield. A small Bug-type Pokémon with very fast flapping wings appeared. It darted around in the air frantically.

"Ninjask, the Ninja Pokémon. If Ninjask is not trained properly, it will refuse to obey the Trainer and cry loudly continuously. Because of this quality, this Pokémon is said to be one that puts the Trainer's abilities to the test," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"He's showing off," Yurie muttered.

"I'll be going with my new friend, Duskull!" Logan announced while he threw his Poké Ball. Duskull appeared and moved around whimsically in the air. He then noticed his opponent and prepared for battle.

"Ninjask, start with Double Team!" Yuta commanded.

_That thing already looks incredibly quick. I'm going to have to get in there fast if I want any chance of winning._ Logan thought. "Duskull, let's use Will-O-Wisp!"

As Ninjask started to rapidly move around the field, creating shadow images of himself. Duskull formed a small ball of fire energy in front of him and then released it onto the field. It enveloped a few of the Ninjask copies, but none of them were the real one.

"Fury Cutter!"

The real Ninjask suddenly emerged, and he slashed at Duskull, knocking the Ghost-type back a little bit. Ninjask then returned to rapidly moving about in the air.

"Confuse Ray!" Logan ordered.

Duskull formed a little ball of smoke in his arms and then tossed it into the air. It once again washed over some of the Ninjask clones, but none of them were the real one.

"Another Fury Cutter!" Yuta commanded.

Once again, the real Ninjask emerged from the group and slashed at Duskull. This time, Duskull was knocked back even further, but he was still able to keep himself afloat.

"Okay…" Logan said as he looked around the air. "Pick one and use Shadow Sneak!"

Duskull nodded and he sunk into the ground. The Ninjask stopped moving and started to frantically look around the field for the Ghost-type. Suddenly, Duskull shot from the ground and grabbed ahold of one of the Ninjask, but he got unlucky once again, and the clone exploded into smoke.

"Fury Cutter!" Yuta yelled.

"Will-O-Wisp!" Logan instructed.

The Ninjask left the pack and raced towards Duskull, but the Ghost-type was quick. He formed a ball of fire energy and released it onto Ninjask as he struck. The two Pokémon fell back a little bit, and fire suddenly appeared all around Ninjask for a moment. He let out a cry and wavered a little bit.

"Perfect!" Logan exclaimed. "Keep track of that Ninjask!"

Duskull chortled as it focused on the burnt Ninjask.

"Guess hiding isn't going to work anymore," Yuta mumbled. "Aerial Ace!"

Ninjask created energy on the tip of his appendage and then raced forward.

"Confuse Ray!"

As Ninjask jabbed at Duskull, the Ghost-type released a smokey energy from his body. The energy washed over Ninjask, and the Bug-type floated back while shaking his head. His body was once more covered by flames, and he fell to the ground. Duskull also weakly floated towards the ground. Both Pokémon glared at each other.

"Ninjask!" Yuta yelled.

"Your Pokémon's speed is incredible, but if any Pokémon gets burnt, they're in danger," Logan said with a grin. "Duskull, let's finish this with Shadow Sneak!"

"Be prepared!" Yuta instructed.

Duskull sunk into the ground and disappeared. Ninjask began to look around frantically for the Ghost-type, but it proved fruitless. Duskull quickly emerged from the ground and then smashed his body into Ninjask. The Bug-type crashed into the field and fell limp.

Yuta lifted his Poké Ball and returned Ninjask. "Looks like we have some work to do."

Duskull slowly floated back to his position on the field. He took a few deep breaths and prepared for the next Pokémon.

Yuta thought for awhile and then grabbed his next Poké Ball. He lifted it into the air and looked at Logan. "I'm serious about beating you, Logan. But, if I'm honest, I am having fun." He threw his Poké Ball into the air and a big green Pokémon with a large dark green tail and yellow orbs lining his spine appeared. He glanced at Logan and grinned.

"Sceptile, the Forest Pokémon. In the jungle, its power is without equal. This Pokémon carefully grows trees and plants. It regulates its body temperature by basking in sunlight," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

"His Pokémon is fully evolved," Yurie mumbled. She looked at her Torchic.

"I know how strong starter Pokémon can be," Logan commented. "Duskull, use Will-O-Wisp!"

Duskull nodded and began to form the fire energy in his hands.

"Let's not give them the chance, Sceptile. Finish Duskull with X-Scissor!"

Sceptile nodded and then moved his arms forward. The small leaves on his wrists started to glow with a dark green energy, and he bounded forward. With one quick strike, Duskull was knocked past Logan and landed hard on the ground. His body flattened against the field, and Logan knew it was over.

Logan ran over to his Pokémon and returned him to his Poké Ball. "For our first battle, you did great, Duskull." He turned and looked at Sceptile. "So, little Treecko is all grown up now." Logan looked at his belt and started to form different strategies with his various Pokémon.

"Sceptile and I share the same goal of becoming the strongest in Hoenn. There's no one that can get in our way," Yuta said with a grin.

"I like you, Yuta," Logan replied. He finally decided on a Pokémon and pulled its ball from his belt. "But I'm not going to apologize for getting in your way. Let's do this, Vigoroth!"

Vigoroth appeared on the field and shook her body. She started to stamp her feet and then glared at Sceptile. She smiled, knowing that she was in for a challenge.

"Vigoroth, let's start with Aerial Ace!"

Vigoroth howled as she jumped forward.

"Fight back with Leaf Blade!" Yuta commanded.

Sceptile nodded and sent energy surging through his arms. The leaves on his wrists extended and began to glow bright green. He waited for Vigoroth to come to her, and they smashed their arms together. The two were at a momentary stalemate until Sceptile lifted his other arm and slashed at Vigoroth. Vigoroth rolled back but quickly recovered.

"Sceptile just took a Flying-type attack like it was nothing," Himawari muttered.

"X-Scissor!"

"Brick Break!"

This time, Sceptile charged forward. He swung his sharpened leaves towards Vigoroth, but Logan's Pokémon was ready. Vigoroth smashed her arms against Sceptile's blades, knocking Sceptile back a little bit. The Bug-type energy quickly faded away, and Logan took his chance.

"Slash!" he yelled.

Vigoroth ducked and her claws started to glow. She swiped at Sceptile and knocked him a little bit into the air.

"Use your momentum for Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile nodded and then twisted his body. He fell back towards the ground and sliced at Vigoroth. This time, Vigoroth was quicker. She ducked the attack and waited for Logan's next ordered.

"Aerial Ace to the stomach!"

Vigoroth's claws started to glow once more as wind whipped up around them. She then jabbed Sceptile, knocking him far away. He landed directly in front of Yuta and then slowly stood back up. He huffed but then grinned.

"Your Vigoroth isn't bad," Yuta said. "He's already lasted longer than the Vigoroth that we beat in Petalburg."

"She!" Logan exclaimed.

Yuta chuckled. "No matter. We'll finish this. Sceptile, use Sunny Day!"

Sceptile shifted his body and pointed his head towards the sky. He opened his mouth and shot an orb of yellow energy into the air. The battlefield was then illuminated even more, and Vigoroth tried to cover her eyes with her arms.

"Solar Beam!"

Sceptile jumped into the air and began to form energy in the palms of his hands. He quickly collected the energy from the orb that he shot into the air before, and then blasted a beam of solar power straight towards Vigoroth.

"Dodge!" Logan yelled.

But it was too late. The beam crashed down onto Vigoroth and caused a small explosion. Sceptile landed back onto the ground and grinned as the smoke cleared and revealed that Vigoroth was unable to continue. Logan ran onto the field and held his Pokémon's head in his hands.

"Vigoroth…" he mumbled.

Vigoroth forced one eye open and then grinned. She patted Logan's hand before falling asleep. Logan nodded and then returned the Pokémon to her Luxury Ball.

Yuta returned Sceptile and then ran his hand through his black hair. "Maybe that was overkill. But we are going to need to be stronger if we want to beat you at the Hoenn League."

"You're already so strong though," Yurie said.

Logan stood up and grinned. "Keep training, Yuta. And when we meet at the Hoenn League, I promise that you'll be in for the battle of your life."

Yuta smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."

Himawari clapped his hands together. "Now! How about some of that fun?"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Another chapter with Yuta. He'll be back again sooner than later though. This chapter kind of made me remember how much I love Sceptile. Even though Mudkip is a good pick for Logan, I do wonder how the story would have been different if I would have gone for Treecko instead.

Next chapter may be my most simple chapter for this story, but we'll see. Think I'll show some more of Logan's past.


	37. Alola Cola

**Chapter 37 - Alola Cola**

* * *

Yurie and Himawari sat on the edge of Lilycove Beach. They let the water wash over their feet and took in the sunlight. Yuta left early before they woke up, and Logan told them that he was going to take care of their transportation to Mossdeep City, but he was taking his time.

"I hope everything is okay," Yurie muttered. She looked over and watched as Torchic repeatedly ran towards the ocean but then ran away as soon as the waves came in.

"He's fine," Himawari said. "Seems a little bit weird that he wants to keep whatever he's doing a surprise though."

"Guys!" Logan's voice called from afar. The two turned to find Logan stumbling down the stairs near the beach. He held a bigger bag in his hands that he carefully lugged towards the bottom.

The two stood up and then met with him halfway. Himawari took the bag from Logan who then wiped sweat from his brow.

"Sorry it took me so long. I just wanted to make sure that your guys' first time is as safe as possible!" Logan said with a grin. He reached into the bag and pulled out two helmets.

"First time doing what?" Yurie said as she grabbed the red helmet and examined it closely.

Logan pulled three purple Poké Balls from the bag and then grinned. He ran over to the edge of the beach and tossed the Poké Balls into the air, and three of the same Pokémon appeared. They were large Pokémon with flat bodies and long tails. They all rejoiced at the sight of Logan.

"What are those?" Himawari asked.

"Mantine, the Kite Pokémon. On sunny days, schools of Mantine can be seen elegantly leaping over the waves. It is not bothered by the Remoraid that hitches rides," Yurie's Pokédex chimed.

Yurie compared to the picture on the Pokédex to the Mantine that she saw before her. The mantine that Logan had released were all wearing little devices on their backs that kind of resemble saddles.

"Logan, you haven't answered any of our questions," Himawair snapped. "What are we doing today?"

Logan smiled. "Mantine Surfing! It's something that I learned in Alola, and it's incredibly fun!"

Himawari took a look at the Pokémon and then gulped. "I can't swim…"

* * *

**One Year Ago**

"Mantine Surfing?" Luna asked with a big grin on her face. "That sounds so fun, don't you think, Logan?"

Logan looked at the Mantine and sighed. "I can't swim though."

"You'll be perfectly safe," the surfing instructed said. He pointed at the saddles on the Pokémon. "You see those saddles? They essentially lock you in so you don't have to worry. And our Mantine are professionals, so even if something were to go wrong, they can protect you."

"But there's a perfectly good boat…" Logan mumbled.

Luna playfully punched Logan in the shoulder. "Don't worry, Logan! We'll go together the first time. And Professor Oak said that this is a must-try activity for people who come to Alola! We've already been on a boat! Also, my Brionne would probably love some exercise in the ocean."

Logan looked at the small pinniped Pokémon and grinned. He knelt down and pet the Pokémon on her head. "Yeah. Okay. Let's do this."

Logan's small brown Pokémon shook his head and then got closer to his trainer. He looked out at the vast sea and trembled.

"Don't worry, Rockruff," Logan said. "For the time being, we'll keep you in my Poké Ball. You'll be safe!"

Rockruff's body shook, but he slowly nodded.

"Let's go!" Luna exclaimed.

* * *

**Present Day**

"People from Alola are nuts!" Himawari yelled as Logan locked his feet into the saddle. "I don't want to go. I can just go back to Mauville and be fine!"

Logan grinned. "We don't have large enough Pokémon to take us on their backs, so this is what we have to do, Himawari."

"A boat! Boats exist!"

"But this will be fun!" Yurie exclaimed. She locked in her own feet and then peered down towards Mantine. The Pokémon was shy and tucked its face into the water.

Himawari motioned to the outfit that he was now wearing. "But this outfit! You have to admit that it's gaudy! Doesn't match my beautiful blonde locks!"

Logan stepped up onto his own Mantine and then locked his feet in. "I've instructed the Mantine to go slowly at first."

"At first?!"

"Once you get the hang of it, Himawari, you'll love it," Logan explained. "And since you're just a beginner, the Mantine won't force you to do anything you don't want to."

"I don't want to go by Pokémon!"

"It will force you to do that," Logan said as he finished locking in. "The ocean here is calm, so we'll be fine. Let's go!"

With that, Logan's Mantine started to swim forward slowly. Yurie's Mantine followed, and Yurie took a few deep breaths but ultimately kept her cool. Himawari's Mantine then started to move, and Himawari howled from fear.

"What a baby," Yurie mumbled. She looked out at the ocean and grinned. "This is kind of exciting. Can we go faster?"

"Only if you want to," Logan replied.

Yurie nodded, and her Mantine started to pick up some speed.

"This is nice!" Yurie exclaimed as the wind flowed through her dark brown hair. "Keep up, Himawari!"

"My pace!" he shouted back.

Logan laughed.

* * *

**One Year Ago**

"I can see the shore!" Luna announced.

Logan held tightly onto her waist, and he peaked forward. "Thank goodness."

"We should try a trick!"

"A trick?"

"This will be our last chance!" Luna said.

Logan did not respond. His lip started to quiver.

Luna grinned and she shifted her legs, moving Mantine up the wave. Logan's knees began to shake, and he gripped harder onto his friend's waist.

"If we move together, it'll be better. Let's have Mantine go down now!" Luna explained.

Logan took in a deep breath and then nodded. The two moved their legs down, and Mantine followed, picking up speed. They shifted upwards once more, and Mantine quickly climbed the wave again. Once more, they moved downwards, and now the wind was racing through their hair.

"We can catch air now!" Luna yelled through the sounds of the wind.

"Catch what?!" Logan screamed.

Luna shifted her legs, and Logan soon followed, not understanding what exactly he was doing. Mantine shot upwards once again, but this time, he did not stop. He raced up the wave and then blew past it, and they all soon found themselves in the air.

"Spin left!" Luna yelled.

The two trainers rotated quickly to the left, and Mantine followed. They did a full 360 turn.

"Two more times!"

Logan, afraid of drowning, followed Luna's commands without hesitation. The two shifted their bodies to the left, and Mantine turned two more times. Upon completion of its final turn, the Mantine let out a gleeful cheer. It then landed back onto the wave perfectly. Within a few moments, they all came to the shore of Heahea Beach.

"How was it?" a new surfing instructor asked as they pulled in. She stopped Mantine with her hands and then pet the Pokémon softly.

"It was so fun!" Luna cried out while she jumped off of Mantine. She grabbed ahold of her Brionne and held her into the air.

Logan laughed. "I was terrified, but I think I want to try it again."

"You can come anytime! Who knows, maybe you'll become a Mantine Surfing Champion someday?" the surfing instructor said.

Luna and Logan looked at one another and then grinned.

* * *

**Present Day**

"You getting the hang of it?" Logan asked as he looked back at Himawari.

Himawari glared. "Yes. But as soon as we get back on land, I'm going to hurt you."

Logan laughed. He looked around the waves and noticed Yurie who was far ahead of both of them. She was continuously riding the top of the wave and then going back towards the bottom.

"This is so fun!" she laughed. Her shy Mantine also cheered with her.

"Watch this!" Logan exclaimed. He shifted his legs and his Mantine shot up the wave. He quickly turned, and Mantine descended. With one more motion, Mantine climbed the wave and then was in the air.

"Over-the-Gyarados!" Logan cried out as Mantine twisted to the right. They then performed a front flip, then twisted to the left, and then finished the move with a backflip. Mantine jeered as it soared through the air and then landed perfectly back onto the wave.

"So cool…" Yurie muttered.

"I could do that!" Himawari snapped. His Mantine started to slowly move up the wave, and Himawari panicked. "Not now! Not now!" His Mantine stopped climbing and then laughed.

"How did you do that?" Yurie wondered.

Logan grinned. "It took me a long time to learn it, but with enough practice, Mantine Surfing just came naturally to me."

"I want to try!" Yurie exclaimed. Her Mantine started to move upwards.

"Just be careful!" Logan warned.

* * *

**One Year Ago**

Logan sat in the sand of Poni Beach and let the waves wash over his feet. He looked out at the sunset and smiled. His Lycanroc sat near the back of the beach in the shade. He licked his red fur as he cautiously watched the ocean.

Luna approached Logan and handed him an opened glass bottle. She sat down next to him and watched some Pokémon play with each other in the ocean.

"Cheers," they both said as they clinked their bottles together.

Logan took a big swig of his drink and then grinned as the caffeine shot through his body. "Nothing is better than an Alola Cola on the beach!"

"Only a little while away from the Manalo Conference," Luna said. "You think you're ready?"

Logan shook his head. "I can never say that I'm truly ready. We have one more gym left, and then a lot of training. But I'm sure if we both work hard, then we'll make it to the finals."

Luna took a swig of her drink. "I'm not going to lose this year. I have a lot to prove, ya know?"

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Everyone said that I was the top of our class, but I lost to Aaron. And then Mao beat you and him. But I have to prove that I'm number one."

"I see…"

"Let's do our best," she said quietly.

Logan grinned. "And let's get this finished! I want to do more Mantine Surfing!"

* * *

**Present Day**

"You okay?" Logan asked Himawari as they all pulled into Mossdeep Beach.

Himawari collapsed as soon as Logan unlocked his legs, and he fell into Logan's arms.

"That was so fun!" Yurie exclaimed. "We'll do it again?"

Himawari looked at Logan in the eyes. "I'm gonna barf."

Logan dropped Himawari into the water and grinned. "Maybe!"

Yurie took off her helmet and then pet her Mantine gently. "I'm looking forward to it!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Something simple and easy for today's chapter. I really enjoy writing chapters like this.

Quick update: I've actually written ahead, and I've finished Healing in Hoenn. I'm going to continue posting three chapters a week, because I don't want to overload everyone, but I think Healing in Hoenn will be uploaded on this site by the end of year. In the meantime, I'm going to start writing the next adventure and a journey for a separate character that takes place in Alola.


	38. Pan

**Chapter 38 - Pan**

* * *

"So, Himawari refused to give you info on the gym leader?" Yurie asked as she set down a plate of toasted bread for Logan to eat.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. He's still pretty mad about the Mantine Surfing thing."

"So, what are you going to do?"

Logan flipped through his Hoenn guidebook and sighed. "I guess I'll just make sure that my Pokémon are prepared for anything. It's hard to prepare when you have no idea what you're getting into."

"Yeah, you think?" Himawari snapped as he set down his own plate of food. "I wasn't even remotely prepared to ride a Pokémon across the dangerous sea, but here we are. You'll be fine."

Logan grinned. "Not even a hint?"

Himawari stuffed some of his food into his mouth and glared. "Here's all I'll say. They're very good."

The three finished their lunch and then were off for the gym. Mossdeep City was only a city in name. The island had been created by a volcano thousands of years ago, so it was brimming with lush plant-life everywhere. The roads were merely made of dirt, and the buildings were very simple. It was a huge contrast to the cities that the group had previously visited, and it was even quieter than Slateport was. There was even a lack of tourists, which had surprised Logan.

Once they entered the gym, they were surprised as to how different it appeared compared to the island. It was adorned with multiple flashing lights, and they were guided to the receptionist desk by an automatic moving platform.

The receptionist smiled as the group approached her. "Challengers?" she asked.

"Just me!" Logan said.

"Can I get a name?" the receptionist asked. She adjusted her glasses as she messed around with a tablet of sorts.

"Logan Stephenson from-"

"From Unova," the receptionist finished. She held up the tablet, which had Logan's picture and current Pokémon displayed. "Your battle will be 2 on 2 double battle. Is that okay?"

"Double battle?" Logan wondered.

"Is that okay?"

Logan nodded, and the receptionist grinned. She pushed a button, and the platform began to move forward once more. The doors to the gym slid open, and they entered the battlefield. Yurie and Himawari stepped on a separate platform which carried them to the stands while Logan looked out onto the field. It was pitch black. Suddenly, with a flash of light, Logan could see what he would be up against. Two gym leaders, twins, stood across from them. One sat casually in a giant chair while the other stared intensely at Logan. They both wore matching blue outfits

"Welcome to the Mossdeep City Gym," the one who was standing said. He was a boy with slicked back black hair.

The other gym leader stood up from her chair. She had similar black hair, but was much longer. "My name is Lan, and this is my brother, Fu."

The two of them struck a well coordinated pose and smiled. "And you'll be challenging both of us today," they said in unison.

Suddenly, the receptionist from before appeared on the side of the battlefield. She was lifted into the air by a small platform and then put into position. She held up her two flags. "This will be a two on two double battle between challenger Logan Stephenson and Gym Leaders Fu and Lan. Begin!"

Using almost the exact same motions, Fu and Lan pulled out their Poké Balls from their robes. They tossed the Poké Balls onto the field and two Pokémon appeared. One was in the shape of a crescent moon while the other was shaped like the sun. They floated above the stage and waited for Logan to make his move.

"We're prepared for anything," Logan muttered. He pulled two Poké Balls from his belt and tossed them into the air. His newest Pokémon, Duskull, appeared alongside Marshtomp. Marshtomp danced around playfully before noticing his opponents.

"The challenger can have the first move," Fu said.

"It's only common courtesy," Lan added.

"Sounds good to me!" Logan said. "Duskull, Dark Pulse! Marshtomp, use Mud Bomb!"

Duskull started to gather dark energy in his hands as he raced across the field while Marshtomp formed a ball of mud in his arms and lifted it into the air. He tossed the ball of mud as Duskull released a wave of dark energy across the field. The ball crashed into the ground and exploded, shooting directly towards their opponents.

"Solrock, start with Rock Slide," Fu instructed calmly.

"Lunatone, use Light Screen," Lan added.

The cream-colored, crescent moon shaped Pokémon floated in front of its partner. Its eyes began to glow, and a light pink barrier appeared in front of it. Meanwhile, the sun shaped Pokémon focused its energy, pulling stones from the earth. It flung the stones straight towards Duskull and Marshtomp.

The stones collided with Marshtomp's mud, stopping Marshtomp's attack as the dark energy from Duskull bounced off of the barrier that Lunatone had created. Solrock used its energy once more and lifted the stones back into the air. It flung them one more time towards Logan's Pokémon.

"Protect!" Logan yelled.

Marshtomp dove into the mud and swam out in front of Duskull. He then lifted his arms into the air and a blue barrier of energy appeared, blocking all of the stones from striking the two Pokémon.

"Not bad," Fu commented.

"But not good enough," Lan added.

"Psychic!" the two ordered in unison.

Both of their Pokémon's eyes started to glow purple, and they focused their energy. Marshtomp and Duskull were lifted into the air and as they were surrounded by purple and pink energy. They were then flung backwards, and they crashed hard into the battlefield. Marshtomp was quick to recover, and he helped pull Duskull back up.

_They've got perfect counters for any Ground-type attacks that I can use, and Duskull may not be able to pull off a perfect Dark Pulse just yet, so I'm going to have to rethink my strategy._ Logan thought. "Marshtomp, use Water Gun!"

Marshtomp ran out in front of Duskull and released a stream of water from his mouth.

"Power Gem," Lan instructed.

Lunatone once more took the lead for its team, and it started to focus, forming a rock built from psychic energy directly in front of its face. It shot the rock towards the stream of water.

"Duskull, Shadow Sneak!"

Duskull nodded and then sank into his own shadow, quickly disappearing without being noticed.

Water Gun and Power Gem collided with one another in the middle of the field, and to the twins' surprise, Water Gun won the test of strength, destroying the stone. The Water-type attack then continued, connecting with the light pink barrier that Lunatone had created before. It shattered the barrier and then pelted Lunatone, but the damage seemed to have been minimal.

"We're still okay," Fu said. "Solrock, use Sunny Day!"

Solrock's eyes started to glow, and a small ball of yellow energy formed in front of its face, but before it could complete its attack, Duskull emerged from the ground. Hel latched onto Solrock's back and then pushed it forward. Solrock and Lunatone both collided with one another, and they stumbled towards the ground.

"Perfect!" Logan said. "Rock Throw!"

Marshtomp dug his hands into the ground and focused his energy. With one heave, he lifted a few stones into the air and tossed them at his opponents. The stones came crashing down, burying Lunatone and Solrock.

"Perfect!" Logan exclaimed happily.

"Psychic!" the twins ordered together.

The rocks started to rumble, and they shot into the air all across the battlefield. Duskull and Marshtomp ran around the field, trying to dodge them, and luckily, they were able to. But fatigue started to set in. The twins' Pokémon emerged from the ground and started to slowly float into the air once more.

"Lunatone, use Calm Mind!" Lan ordered.

"We can't let them!" Logan said. "Water Gun! Dark Pulse!"

As Lunatone closed its eyes and began to focus, Logan's Pokémon used their attacks.

"Solrock, Rock Slide!"

Solrock floated in front of its partner, and its eyes started to glow. It lifted the stones that were already pulled up from the field into the air. The attacks collided with the stones and quickly disappeared. Marshtomp and Duskull breathed heavily, and Marshtomp collapsed to one knee.

"Solrock, Sunny Day!"

Solrock twisted its body and began to form a ball of energy in front of its face. It shot the orb into the air, and the entire battlefield started to heat up. Marshtomp fell to his other knee.

"Let's finish this," Fu said. Lan nodded. "Solrock, Solar Beam!"

"Lunatone, Power Gem!"

"Marshtomp, use Protect!"

Solrock and Lunatone charged their attacks and then released them onto the battlefield straight towards Logan's Pokémon. Marshtomp lifted his arms and tried to create the blue forcefield, but it was too late. Duskull and Marshtomp were blasted by the attacks, and they collapsed onto one another.

The referee took a close look at the Pokémon and then nodded. She raised her flags. "Marshtomp and Duskull are both unable to continue. Solrock, Lunatone, and Gym Leaders Fu and Lan are the winners!"

Logan ran from his side of the field to his two Pokémon and knelt down. "I'm sorry, guys. I wasn't ready."

The gym leaders approached Logan with their Pokémon, and they smiled.

"You can come back any time," Fu said.

"But you should practice with your Pokémon a little bit more," Lan added.

Yurie and Himawari ran to meet Logan. Yurie glanced at Marshtomp, and she winced. "Is he okay?"

"He'll be okay," Logan muttered.

The twins looked at Logan's friends and then at one another. They then nodded, as if they had a whole conversation just in their heads.

"It's not very often that we have trainers come with their friends," Fu said.

"We'd love a rematch with you, Logan, but how about next time, you battle alongside one of them," Lan suggested while motioning towards Yurie and Himawari.

Logan returned his Pokémon to their balls and then stood up. "Would that be okay?"

"It may be more challenging," Fu said with a grin.

"But the more the merrier!" Lan added.

"They freak me out," Himawari said as the trio walked back towards the Pokémon Center. "People who finish each other's sentences are creepy."

Logan remained silent while Yurie followed behind slowly.

"You guys are awfully quiet," Himawari remarked.

"Or maybe you're always talking?" Yurie said with a laugh. She glanced over to Logan. "Maybe you should have given him a hint."

Logan stopped walking. "Nah. I'm fine. I actually prefer it this way. I can't get better if people keep giving me information. A battle with the unexpected is the best way to prepare me for the conference."

Himawari nodded. "That's exactly what I was thinking!"

"So, what are you going to do?" Yurie asked.

Logan looked up into the sky. "I'm gonna train, and if you don't mind, Yurie, I'd like if you'd be my partner for this next battle."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This chapter was also pretty short... Huh...


	39. Pizza Turnover

**Chapter 39 - Pizza Turnover**

* * *

"I can't believe you chose Yurie over me," Himawari whined as he sat down at the picnic table in the back of the Pokémon Center. "I'd make a great partner!" He tossed two plastic bags full of food onto the table and then folded his arms.

Logan sighed. He and Yurie had been training together since the early morning to prepare for their match. They sent Himawari out for food, and it took him three hours.

"Did you see the battle yesterday, Himawari?" Logan asked. He walked over to the table and peaked through the plastic bags of snacks.

"Of course. I was there."

"Right now, you only use Electric-type Pokémon."

"Electric-type Pokémon are not weak to Rock-types!" Himawari snapped. "That's a common misconception!"

"It's not that," Logan said with a sigh. "Yurie has more of a variety, and I know more about her Pokémon since I've traveled with her since the beginning."

Himawari huffed and then ran his hands through his long, spikey blonde hair. "Did you even consider me?"

"Yes! Of course! But let me ask you this, do you even want to battle against them?"

Himawari thought for a moment and then reached into one of the bags. He pulled out a little pastry and handed it over to Logan. "Nah. Not really. They freak me out."

"What's this?" Logan said as he examined the pastry. He opened up the packaging and noticed red sauce and cheese on the inside. "Looks like a Hot Pocket."

"It's a pizza turnover," Himawari explained. "And it's delicious."

Logan tried the pastry. It tasted just like a small pizza, but the cheese in Hoenn was always a bit unimpressive.

"So, how goes the training?"

Yurie sifted through the plastic bags. "Overall, good. We've been working on a few combination attacks! We're not quite in perfect sync yet, though."

"Well well," a voice called. The three looked over towards the Pokémon Center doors and found a familiar face. A girl with short dark brown hair who wore a purple skirt and red spaghetti strap shirt stood in the doorway. Yurie and Logan were elated while Himawari just appeared confused.

"Yui!" Yurie said happily. She ran over and gave her older sister a hug. Her sister weakly hugged her back.

"It's good to see you too."

"Who's this dashing gal?" Himawari asked with a big dumb grin on his face.

"My sister, so no," Yurie replied with a stern look.

"What are you all doing here?" Yui asked. She noticed the bag of food on the table and then approached. "They don't hold contests on Mossdeep, so I'm surprised to see you."

"I have a gym battle here. I just got a little set back, but we're going to Pacifidlog Town next," Logan explained.

"You already got five ribbons?" Yurie asked. She already knew the answer, but it was polite to make conversation.

Yui winked. "You know it! Your big sister is going to the top of the Hoenn Grand Festival!"

"I've gotta do my best in that case," Yurie muttered. She thought about her upcoming contest and then looked out at her Pokémon.

"What are you doing on Mossdeep?" Logan asked.

Yui smiled. "I thought that this would be a nice place to train for the next couple months or so. Also, I want to see the Mossdeep Space Center!"

"That sounds fun!" Yurie squealed.

* * *

The group all finished their food quickly, and then Yui led them to the other side of Mossdeep City where they climbed a small hill and approached a giant building. On the side of the building sat a rocket, waiting to one day be shot off into space.

"I read that they have tours of the space station, so we can ask about that," Yui said.

The group went inside the building and told the receptionist that they wanted to tour the space station. They were quickly given a tour guide and were allowed to follow him around while he explained things that none of them quite understood.

Logan looked around the giant room on the first floor. From the ceiling hung models of space crafts that have been sent off into space, and on the walls were paintings of Pokémon that people believed could have come from out of this world. They were blurry, but Logan felt like he recognized some of them from his adventures in Unova.

"What's this?" Himawari asked as they came to a purple stone that emitted a soft glow. The stone was protected by a glass barrier, and scientists were examining it. "It looks alive."

The scientist grinned and adjusted his glasses. "We're not quite sure what this is, but it did come from space. We've been running tests on it for months, but nothing has come from them."

"It's so pretty…" Yurie mumbled.

One of the scientists removed his hood to reveal a familiar face. He looked up and grinned at the trainers.

"Steven!" Logan said happily.

The grey-haired trainer removed his lab coat and then walked towards the door. "Hey, guys!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Himawari cried out. "You know, Steven?"

Logan nodded. "Well, we met a while back."

Yui leaned into Yurie and covered her mouth. "Who's Steven?"

"He's the former champion of Hoenn," Yurie explained quietly.

"Logan, how's your gym challenge coming along?" Steven asked.

Logan sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I'm almost there, but…"

Steven grinned. "Keep working at it. I know you can make it. Yurie, how about you?"

"I have one more contest to win, and then I'll be on my way to the Grand Festival!" Yurie exclaimed.

Steven nodded his head. "That's all good to hear." He turned to Himawari. "How's your grandpa?"

"Nice to see you again, Steven," Himawari said quietly with a small bow. "My grandpa is still doing great. I'll be taking over the gym next season."

Steven rubbed his chin and grinned. "I remember when you were still a little tiny boy, and now you're a trainer. Everyone grows up so fast."

Logan and Yurie stared at Himawari. They had no idea that he had any sort of connection to Steven.

"What are you all doing at the space station?" Steven asked.

Yurie pushed Yui in front of her. "My sister, Yui, wanted to come visit!"

Yui bowed. "Nice to meet you."

"I'm glad to see that you're all interested!" Steven said with a smile. He turned to the stone. "I'm here currently to study this magnificent rock."

"What do you think it is?" Logan asked.

"I can't be positive, but it reminds me of something that I saw a long time ago," Steven said softly. "I think it's a Pokémon."

"Whoa…" Yurie said in awe.

Steven laughed. "Well, Logan! Have you battled Fu and Lan yet?"

"He got destroyed!" Himawari exclaimed. Logan glared at him.

"Double battling can be tricky," Steven said.

"But it doesn't matter! We're going to battle together tomorrow!" Yurie said happily. She lightly punched Logan's arm. "We've been practicing!"

"I remember battling alongside my best friend when we were younger. Those were great times," Steven said. "How about a battle? I want to see the bonds of your friendship in action!"

"A battle?" Logan wondered. "I guess we can take on Himawari and Yui, but that'd be unfair."

Steven shook his head and laughed. "No, Logan. I mean against me."

Logan froze up. He stared with his eyes wide open at Steven. "Wh-what? Really?"

Steven nodded. "What do you say?"

The group left the space station, and started their trek towards the other side of Mossdeep. Steven lead the way, and he discussed with Himawari various things about becoming a gym leader, while Logan, Yurie, and Yui all stayed in the back and discussed strategy.

"The big key to a double battle is covering each other's weaknesses," Yui said.

Logan nodded. "Yes. And making sure that we have good counters to whatever our opponents will throw at us. Steven uses Steel-type Pokémon."

Yurie looked down at Torchic. "Then I'll use Torchic!"

"And I have to cover Torchic's weaknesses," Logan said. "I'll figure something out."

"So, here's what we'll do," Steven said as he stopped walking. The group were now standing in a relatively large field in front of a sizeable home. "I'll choose two Pokémon, and you get one each. Is that fair?"

Logan and Yurie nodded.

"Perfect!" Steven reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out two Poké Balls. "Let's go, Metang and Armaldo!"

Two Pokémon appeared on the field. One of them had two long arms that stuck out from its body. It floated in the air while the other stood up on two legs and had pinsirs for arms.

"They look familiar," Yurie mumbled.

"My Armaldo is the evolved form of the Anorith that we resurrected back in Rustboro City," Steven explained. "I've been given the chance to raise him up myself."

Logan nodded. "That makes Armaldo a Rock-type."

"Torchic, let's do this!" Yurie called out. Her Pokémon nodded and then ran onto the field. He fluffed out his feathers and growled at his opponents.

"Marshtomp, let's do this!" Logan shouted while tossing his Poké Ball into the air. Marshtomp appeared and waved his arms around to the rhythm of his soul. He then noticed his opponents and got serious.

"You two can make the first move," Steven said calmly.

"Torchic, use Fire Spin!"

"Marshtomp, Water Gun!"

The two Pokémon opened their mouths wide and then unleashed their attacks. The fire and water energy quickly blasted towards Metang and Armaldo.

"Both of you, Metal Claw!" Steven ordered.

Both of the Pokémon leapt forward with their claws glowing. They slashed out at the attacks, absorbing the energy within their arms. They appeared pained by the maneuver, but were ultimately okay.

"Now it's our turn to be on the offensive," Steven said. "Armaldo, Ancient Power! Metang, Bullet Punch!"

As Armaldo's eyes started to glow and the field began to shake, Metang shot forward with one of his arms stretched out.

"Marshtomp, use Protect!"

Marshtomp flipped in front of Torchic and held his arms out. A blue barrier formed in front of them, and Metang bounced off of it. Marshtomp sighed and stopped the barrier, but then moving shadows caught his attention. From the sky, rocks with a blue energy fell straight towards them. Marshtomp quickly grabbed onto Torchic and tossed him out of harm's way, but the Water-type took all of the damage.

"Marshtomp!" Logan yelled.

"Bullet Punch!" Steven commanded.

Metang shot forward once more, and he jabbed towards the ground. Torchic was tossed back as the energy of Metang's fist collided with the area in front of the Fire-type. Torchic quickly recovered and then watched as Marshtomp slowly emerged from the pile of rocks. He glared out at Armaldo.

"What do you say we do?" Yurie asked.

Logan smiled. "Let's focus on one of them."

"Sounds good to me!" Yurie said. "Torchic, use Flame Burst!"

Torchic nodded and then released a small burst of flames from his mouth. The burst shot straight towards Armaldo, but before it could reach him, it exploded, creating a giant wave of flames that engulfed the ancient Pokémon.

"Mud Bomb!" Logan ordered.

Marshtomp formed a giant ball of mud energy in his palms and then held it into the air. He tossed it forward, and it landed on the ground, exploding towards Steven's Pokémon.

"They're just trying to attack Armaldo! Metang, protect him!" Steven commanded.

"Perfect," Logan muttered.

Metang flew in front of Armaldo to absorb the damage from Mud Bomb as Torchic bounded forward. Metang took the full force of the attack and then looked up.

"Aerial Ace!" Yurie yelled.

Torchic flew through the air, and he smashed his beak into Metang. The Steel-type fell back and crashed into the ground.

"Water Gun!" Logan instructed.

Marshtomp opened his mouth and unleashed a stream of water once more. The stream collided with Metang, knocking it even further back. Metang flew past Steven and landed hard once more. With a little bit of time, it was able to float back into the air again.

"You tricked me," Steven said. "Nice!"

"Metang is a lot stronger than I thought," Logan muttered. "It's still able to battle. I was sure that after that combo it'd be done."

"We have more that we can do," Yurie reassured.

"Armaldo, Crush Claw! Metang, Take Down!"

Steven's Pokémon started to race forward. Armaldo's claws started to glow with white energy, and Metang held its arms back to pick up speed.

"Rock Throw!" Logan yelled.

Marshtomp ran over to the rocks that he was buried with from before and used his strength to lift them into the air. He tossed them towards Steven's Pokémon, making their movements slow down a little bit.

"They're still coming," Yurie said.

"Let's take a more direct approach then," Logan replied.

"Sounds good! Torchic, use Slash!"

"Water Gun!"

Torchic jumped in front of Marshtomp as the Water-type Pokémon unleashed his attack. The force from the water pushed Torchic forward as she held out her talons. Using the energy and speed gained from the push, Torchic jumped into the air. She slashed downwards at Armaldo, and the two Pokémon's attacks clashed. They both fell back from the sheerforce, and then Marshtomp refocused. He maneuvered his attack and blasted Armaldo directly, sending the Rock-type reeling backwards.

"Yeah!" Logan and Yurie said together.

Suddenly, Metang turned his body and then shot towards Torchic. The Steel-type landed its attack directly, knocking Torchic backwards.

"Now, Metal Claw!" Steven yelled.

"Protect, Marshtomp!"

As Metang lifted his arm to strike, Marshtomp ran forward. He stood in front of Torchic and created the blue barrier once more. Metang's attack bounced off of the barrier, but completely shattered it. Metang looked surprised but ready to strike once more.

"Fire Spin!" Yurie instructed.

Torchic jumped up onto Marshtomp's shoulders and released a swirling tornado of flames from his mouth. The flames engulfed Metang completely, and the Steel-type quickly retreated back to his comrade. The two looked at one another. They were both clearly tired from the battle.

"We might actually do this," Logan muttered.

Marshtomp put Torchic back onto the ground, and the both of them grinned at one another. They were both tired too but willing to fight.

"This next blow is going to finish it," Stephen said. "Armaldo, X-Scissor! Metang, Bullet Punch!"

"Water Gun!"

"Fire Spin!"

Steven's Pokémon dashed forward and prepared their attacks while Marshtomp and Torchic unleashed water and fire onto the field. Armaldo and Metang collided directly with the streams of energy, but they continued to force themselves through it. Eventually, the four Pokémon all met in the center of the battlefield. Armaldo and Metang lifted their arms and struck. Marshtomp and Torchic were flung back, but Armaldo and Metang collapsed as soon as their attacks were finished. All Pokémon remained unconscious on the ground.

"Marshtomp!"

"Torchic!" The two trainers ran out onto the field to meet their Pokémon while Steven walked to meet up with his. The all knelt down to check on them.

"That was really good," Steven said. "I'm impressed."

Logan grinned as he held Marshtomp close. "You did great, buddy."

"You're so strong," Yurie said quietly while she pet Torchic's head.

"This Metang just evolved, so I was curious to see how it'd battle. I was expecting to win, but a draw is good enough for me," Steven said. "I think you two are more than ready for tomorrow."

Logan nodded. "Thank you, Steven." He looked at Yurie. "But if you have the time, is there any way that you can train with us for a little bit longer?"

Yui grinned and jumped with excitement. "Yeah! I'd love to get some tips from the former champion!"

Steven took a look at his Pokémon and then Logan. "Alright. We'll train a bit more tonight."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I had to rewrite this chapter because I originally had needless details, and it was just frustrating me. Sorry if there's some "tell" and not "show" in this chapter, especially in the beginning. Maybe you didn't notice. Maybe I just outed myself.

I generally don't like battles that end in draws, but I feel like I can justify it here. Steven isn't too experienced with the two Pokémon that he's used here (this Metang in particular), so I can see them not being too high of levels.


	40. Annoimo Sweet Potato

**Chapter 40 - Annoimo Sweet Potato**

* * *

"So, technically, this will be Yurie's gym debut?" Yui wondered while the group walked their way to the Mossdeep gym.

Yurie put her finger to her lips. "You know, I hadn't thought about that. Do I get a gym badge if we win?"

Logan nodded. "Of course! This is now your fight too!"

"That's so cool!" Yurie exclaimed.

"Don't get too excited. You still have to win your fight, and I can guarantee that Fu and Lan haven't just been sitting around and waiting for you," Himawari said. "It's sort of a gym leader rule that if you know you'll have people coming back for a rematch, you're supposed to present the challenger with something new and fresh. The two probably have something unexpected prepared for you."

The group continued and eventually found their way to the gym. They entered where they were once again greeted by the receptionist at the desk. She smiled and readjusted her glasses upon seeing them.

"Back for your rematch?" she asked.

Logan nodded. "Yeah. And I'll be teaming with my friend here." He motioned to Yurie.

The receptionist messed with her tablet a little bit and then looked up. "So, we have Logan Stephenson and…"

"Kawahara Yurie-"

"From Littleroot Town," the receptionist finished. "The gym leaders are happy to have a rematch with you. Today's battle will be a four on four double battle. Is this okay?"

"Four on four?" Logan wondered. He nodded. "Let's do this."

The receptionist grinned and then pushed a button. The floor underneath the trainers started to move, and it guided them through the doors to the battlefield. Yui and Himawari stepped onto a different platform which then guided them to the stands while Logan and Yurie got into position for their battle.

"How do you want to go about this?" Yurie whispered. "We prepared for a two on two but not a four on four."

"I was thinking that they'd pull something like this," Logan replied. "I'll go on the offensive. Try to cover me as much as possible."

The twins stood up from their chairs and walked to their trainers' box. They grinned and then struck a synchronized pose. "It's good to see you again, Logan. And it looks like you've brought your friend. Are you ready to show us the power of your Pokémon?"

Logan grinned. "You know it!"

The receptionist from before emerged from the floor and held her flags into the air. "This will be a four on four double battle between challengers Logan Stephenson and Kawahara Yurie vs. Gym Leaders Fu and Lan. Begin!"

The two twins lifted their Poké Balls and then tossed them into the air. A large bird Pokémon with white wings and a neon green body appeared alongside a large brown Pokémon with multiple red eyes circling its head. The two Pokémon remained still and waited for the challengers' moves.

Logan looked down at Mightyena. "You're up buddy!"

Mightyena barked and then ran out onto the field. He howled and then lowered his body, preparing to attack his opponents.

"These are Psychic-types?" Yurie wondered. Logan nodded. "In that case, I'll go with Shuppet!" She pulled a Poké Ball from her belt and tossed it onto the field. It burst open, revealing her Ghost-type Pokémon. It looked around, noticed that it was about to battle, and then got into a fighting stance.

"It looks like they have a type advantage over us," Fu said.

Lan laughed. "No matter. We'll be okay."

"We have the first move," Logan said. "Mightyena, charge in with Thunder Fang!"

"Shuppet, let's use Sucker Punch!"

Both of the Pokémon charged forward. Mightyena's jaws were sparking with electrical energy while the bottom of Shuppet's body was overtaken by a shadowy cloak.

"Claydol, Light Screen," Lan ordered.

"Xatu, Calm Mind!" Fu instructed.

Claydol floated forward and extended what could only be assumed were its arms. It began to wave them around in circles, and a light pink barrier formed in front of its team. Meanwhile, Xatu closed his eyes and began to focus his energy. Shuppet suddenly stopped moving and looked confused while Mightyena continued his charge.

"What happened?" Yurie wondered.

Himawari groaned. "Sucker Punch is reliant on the opponent using an offensive attack. Since neither one of Xatu or Claydol's attacks were offensive, Sucker Punch fails."

"Not off to a good start," Yui muttered.

Mightyena jumped into the air to attack Xatu, but Claydol was quick. The giant Pokémon got in way and absorbed every shock from Mightyena's attack. Mightyena jumped off and appeared confused by what had just happened.

"A Ground-type?" Logan wondered.

"Claydol, use Ancient Power!" Lan commanded.

Claydol started to focus its power, and the battlefield began to shake. It pulled up stones from the ground and tossed them directly towards Mightyena.

"Iron Tail!" Logan yelled.

Mightyena howled and then jumped into the air. He swung around his body and smashed his tail into the oncoming rocks, destroying them with ease.

"What do we do? They're able to protect themselves," Yurie said.

"If Mightyena can get ahold of Xatu, then we can take it down with no problem. We have to isolate it," Logan said.

"Got it. Shuppet, let's go in with Shadow Ball!"

Shuppet nodded and then dashed forward. She opened her mouth and created a ball of dark energy. With a quick twist of her body, she shot it at Claydol.

"Iron Tail!" Logan yelled.

The ball of dark energy and Mightyena's tail collided with Claydol simultaneously, sending the floating Pokémon crashing to the ground.

"This is our chance!" Logan said. "Thunder Fang!"

Mightyena quickly turned his body and then shot towards Xatu, his jaws sparking with electricity.

"Confuse Ray!" Fu ordered.

Xatu focused his energy and then released a small body of smoke from under his wings. The ball of smoke engulfed Mightyena as he leapt into the air. Mightyena winced, but continued his attack. He latched onto Xatu, and electricity shot through the Flying-type's body. Xatu let out a cry as Mightyena released his hold. He backed up, shaking his head with his eyes clamped shut.

"Confused…" Logan muttered. He looked over to Xatu, who had electric sparks flying from his body. "But it looks like we accomplished one thing."

"Ancient Power!" Lan yelled.

Claydol recovered and then began to float back into the air. It pulled out stones from the ground once more and tossed them into the air. They landed all around Mightyena, making the Dark-type fall back a little bit.

"Shadow Sneak!" Yurie ordered.

Shuppet nodded and then sunk into the ground and disappeared.

"Earthquake!" Lan commanded.

Claydol twisted its arms and then shot towards the ground. Suddenly, the entire field started to shake. Mightyena stumbled over and tried to cover his head, and Shuppet quickly reemerged from the ground, but she was now behind the opponents.

"Xatu, use Psychic!" Fu instructed.

Xatu tried to turn his body towards Shuppet, but the electrical energy was too strong, and he stopped in his tracks.

"Hex!"

Shuppet's body started to glow. She used the energy that she had built up, and then blasted it at Xatu. The Flying-type took the hit directly and collapsed to the ground. Claydol looked around confusedly at his opponents.

"Iron Tail!"

"Shadow Ball!"

Mightyena shook his head and then fought through the confusion. He ran towards Claydol and jumped into the air while Shuppet created another ball of dark energy. The two attacks collided on either side of Claydol, stunning the Ground-type. Once the attack had finished, Mightyena and Shuppet quickly retreated back to their side of the field. Claydol stopped floating, crashing down onto the field.

The referee held up one of her flags. "Xatu and Claydol are unable to battle. Mightyena and Shuppet are the winners."

The twins looked at their Pokémon and then one another. Together, they lifted their Poké Balls and returned the Pokémon.

"You two truly are in sync," Fu said.

"But you're still not ready for what's next," Lan added.

Logan looked out at the two Pokémon. Mightyena was clearly still bothered by the confusion, and Shuppet looked worn down from having to use so many attacks already.

"Solrock!"

"Lunatone!"

The two familiar Pokémon appeared on the battlefield and floated calmly in the air. They looked out at their opponents with blank expressions on their faces.

"Mightyena, let's use Dig!"

"Shadow Sneak, Shuppet!"

The two Pokémon dove into the ground quickly and disappeared. Solrock and Lunatone did not appear worried though, as they just floated calmly above the field.

"Now!" Logan yelled.

"Hypnosis," Lan ordered calmly.

As both Shuppet and Mightyena emerged from the ground, Lunatone backed away and released a small ring of energy from its body. The energy covered both of the challenger's Pokémon, and Shuppet suddenly fell to the ground, asleep. Mightyena tried to strike, but something overcame him, and he instead swung his body haphazardly, unintentionally striking himself.

"Fire Blast!" Fu commanded.

Solrock formed a ball of fire in front of its face and then flew forward. It blasted the flames downwards at Mightyena and Shuppet. The two Pokémon were taken over by the fire, and the entire field was lit up with a bright white light. When the attack stopped, Mightyena collapsed to the ground next to Shuppet.

"Mightyena and Shuppet are unable to battle! Solrock and Lunatone are the winners!" the referee declared.

Logan and Yurie returned their Pokémon and then looked at each other.

"This is what we practiced for. Are you ready?" Logan asked.

Yurie nodded and looked down at Torchic. "Yeah. We're ready."

Logan grabbed his Poké Ball and held it in the air. "Me too."

"Torchic, let's do this!"

Torchic cried out and then ran onto the field. He posed and waited for Logan's pick.

"Go!" Logan called while he tossed his Poké Ball into the air. A giant blue Pokémon with orange gills on the sides of his cheeks and a long black fin running up his backend appeared. He danced a little bit with a smile on his face and then struck a fighting pose. His smile never once faded.

"So, your little Marshtomp-"

"It's changed."

"That's right!" Logan said. "Meet Swampert!"

"Swampert!" his new Pokémon called out.

_Train with a champion for one night, and the results are magical._ Logan thought.

"We're not surprised," Fu said.

"We could feel your Marshtomp's energy and level when we first battled," Lan added.

"You talk a lot for people who are about to get whomped," Logan said with a grin.

"I'll start!" Yurie said. "Fire Burst!"

Torchic jumped in front of Swampert and took in a deep breath. He then released a small blast of fire which raced down the battlefield. Before it could reach the gym leaders' Pokémon, it exploded, sending a wave of fire into the air.

"Psychic!" Lan ordered.

Lunatone focused its energy, and the wave of flames was quickly parted. They surrounded the Psychic-types, but did not connect.

Fu and Lan smiled but they were quickly surprised as they noticed two large rocks falling from the air. The large rocks connected directly with Lunatone and Solrock, sending them back a few feet. They looked close at the challenger's Pokémon, noticing that Swampert was grinning as he held a stone in his hand. He tossed the final stone towards his opponents.

"Zen Headbutt!" Fu commanded.

Solrock started to focus its energy, and it began to spin its body while racing forward. It collided with the final stone, destroying it on impact, and then continued to race down the battlefield.

"Protect!" Logan ordered.

Swampert jumped in front of Torchic and put up his arms. A blue barrier appeared, and Solrock's body bounced off of it.

"Aerial Ace!" Yurie called out.

Swampert lifted Torchic's body as the Fire-type's beak started to glow white. Swampert twisted his body and then tossed Torchic directly towards Lunatone. Torchic landed directly, knocking Lunatone backwards a bit.

"Muddy Water!" Logan instructed.

Swampert lifted his arms into the air and smashed them into the ground. Suddenly, water exploded from the cracks that he had formed, and it overcame Solrock. The sun-shaped Pokémon reeled back and tried to shake the water off of its body.

"Signal Beam!" Lan commanded.

Lunatone released a multicolored beam from the front of its face, connecting directly with Torchic. Torchic was flung backwards, landing in front of his trainer. He got back up slowly and glared at Lunatone.

"Solrock, use Sunny Day!"

"Can't let them do that," Logan said. "Muddy Water!"

As Solrock began to form a ball of bright energy in front of its face, Swampert smashed the ground with his giant fists, creating jets of water to emerge. The water shot directly towards Solrock and Lunatone, but the gym leaders were prepared.

"Ice Beam!" Lan ordered.

A ball of light blue energy formed in front of Lunatone's nose, and then it released a beam of jagged proportions towards the Muddy Water attack. The water froze in place, and Solrock was able to complete his move, sending the ball of energy into the air. The battlefield was soon lit up, and the water from before melted, washing over the ground.

"Dang," Logan muttered. "Muddy Water is almost useless now."

"But Fire-type attacks?" Yurie wondered.

"Extra strong."

"Solrock, use Fire Blast!"

"Time to try out our new move, Torchic!" Yurie said with a smile. "Flamethrower!"

Solrock created another ball of fire in front of its face and then shot off a gigantic blast towards the challenger's Pokémon. Meanwhile, Torchic unleashed a steady stream of flames from his mouth. The two attacks collided in the middle of the battlefield, and they fought for dominance, but it was Torchic's stream that won. The attack continued and engulfed both Solrock and Lunatone, but once the attack finished, they seemingly took little damage.

"Well, that was Torchic's strongest attack, and they took it like nothing," Yurie muttered. "What do you we do now?"

Logan looked up at the orb that floated in the sky. "We have to stall and wait until the effects of Sunny Day fade away. If Swampert can use a full powered Muddy Water on both of them, then we'll win with no issue."

"Solrock, use Solar Beam!"

"Lunatone, use Signal Beam!"

The two Pokémon floated forward and energy began to form in front of their faces. Solrock released a bright beam of solar energy while Lunatone unleashed a multicolored beam forward.

"Protect!" Logan ordered. He crossed his fingers that this defensive move would last.

Swampert stood in front of Torchic and held up his arms, creating the blue barrier in front of them. The attacks bounced off of it, but the barrier was left with a few visible cracks.

"Slash!" Yurie yelled.

Swampert grabbed ahold of his partner and tossed Torchic into the air. Torchic flipped, and his talons began to glow. He then twisted his body and shot straight towards Solrock.

"Psychic!" Lan commanded.

Lunatone's eyes began to glow, and Torchic suddenly stopped falling. A blue energy formed around Torchic, and Lunatone started to use its energy to squeeze the Fire-type.

"Mud Bomb!" Logan instructed.

Swampert put his hands together and started to form a ball of mud. He tossed it into the air, and it exploded, forcing Lunatone to let go of its attack. Torchic fell from the air, but Swampert used the mud on the ground. He slid around quickly and caught the Fire-type.

"Solar Beam!" Fu's voice called.

"Protect!"

Solrock once more released another strong beam of light that formed in front of its face while Swampert lifted his arms and formed the blue barrier once more. The beam smashed into the barrier, and within moments, it was destroyed. Before Swampert could take the blast, Torchic jumped into the air, absorbing the full blow. Torchic's body was blasted backwards, and he landed in a heap.

"Torchic!" Yurie called.

The referee raised her flag. "Torchic is unable to battle."

Yurie lifted her Poké Ball and returned the Fire-type. "I'm sorry, Logan."

"Don't worry about it," Logan said. "Swampert, use Rock Throw!"

Swampert smashed his arms against the ground, making stones come forth. He grabbed them and tossed them towards his opponents.

"Solrock, use Zen Headbutt!"

"Lunatone, use Signal Beam!"

Solrock swiftly floated forward while spinning its body. It crashed into a few of the rocks, and Swampert narrowly avoided it. Meanwhile, Lunatone released another multicolored beam. The beam struck Swampert directly, and Swampert rolled back. He quickly recovered and glanced at the two Pokémon as they floated toward either side of him.

"Oh no…" Himawari muttered.

Suddenly, the light in the battlefield started to flicker, and everyone turned their attention towards the orb in the air. Its light started to become fleeting, and in a few seconds, it completely dissipated.

Logan grinned. "Gotcha! Muddy Water!"

Swampert laughed as he smashed his fists into the ground once more. The mud that had already been placed on the field from his previous attacks mixed with water that burst from the ground. The attack shot off in all directions, and it completely covered both Solrock and Lunatone. When the attack calmed down, both of the gym leaders' Pokémon slowly floated towards the ground. Their eyes closed, and with a loud thud, they collapsed.

The referee smiled. "Solrock and Lunatone are both unable to battle. Swampert is the winner, and the victory goes to Logan and Yurie!"

"We-we did it!" Yurie cheered. She jumped up and hugged Logan.

"Oh…" Yui mumbled.

"I know, right?" Himawari exclaimed.

Logan half hugged Yurie back and then ran onto the field with her. He slid on his knees in the mud and hugged Swampert. "We did it!"

Swampert laughed and patted Logan on the head before collapsing. Logan grinned and returned his Pokémon.

"Take a long rest, buddy," he whispered.

"Logan and Yurie," Fu's voice called. The two twins slowly walked onto the field.

"You both were exceptional today," Lan said.

The referee handed two boxes to the twins, who then turned to Logan and Yurie and bowed, holding out the boxes. Logan and Yurie opened both of the boxes to reveal two pink heart-shaped badges.

"We bestow upon you the Mind Badge," Fu said.

"You've proven to us that you're more than worthy," Lan added.

"It's so pretty!" Yurie cheered. "This means one more to go, right?"

Logan nodded. "And one more ribbon for you, Yurie!"

"We wish you both the best of luck on your journeys," Fu said.

"We'll be watching closely," Lan added.

Himawari grimaced. "They're so creepy…"

* * *

"So, where to next?" Yui asked as the four sat down in one of Mossdeep's many local restaurants.

"Pacifidlog Town!" Yurie chimed. "I'm so excited."

"I see," Yui said with a sigh. "Last season, the Winter Pacifidlog Contest was my last chance at a ribbon. It may be yours too."

Yurie's smile faded. "Well, I guess I have to win!"

"We'll be there to cheer her on, so don't worry!" Logan said.

"Now, let's eat some Annoimo Sweet Potato!" Himawari declared.

And that they did.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I originally had the intention of having Marshtomp evolve during the battle, but I think I've already done that twice in gym battles (maybe three times), so I instead decided to just make Swampert a surprise. Figured it's a way to sort of break fanfiction norms in style. Or not!

We've now reached Chapter 40 which means that we're going to be entering into another "movie" story. This one will feature Yui, but what Pokémon will be in it? I'll start posting it soon. It's going to be another 5 parter. Keep an eye on my profile for that. Thanks for reading!

I've also posted the first chapter for an adventure in Alola with a different character. It won't affect Healing in Hoenn's progress. I recommend giving it a read, because I think it's going to get interesting.


	41. Island Picnic

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

It's chapter 41, so here is a quick refresher of the main characters and their Pokemon. I may do this one more time before Healing in Hoenn finishes.

**Logan Stephenson - Seven badges**

Mightyena (between levels 35 - 40)

Swampert (between levels 40 - 45)

Vigoroth (between levels 35 - 40)

Manectric (between levels 35 - 40)

Vibrava (between levels 40 - 45)

**Yurie Kawahara - Four ribbons**

Torchic (between levels 35 - 40)

Masquerain (between levels 30 - 35)

Aggron (between levels 40 - 45)

Minun (between levels 30 - 35)

Turtwig (between levels 5 - 10)

**Himawari Watson**

Kolink (Luxio) (Between levels 40 - 45)

Koiru (Magneton) (Between levels 35 - 40)

Hikari (Raichu) (Between levels 35 - 40)

**Chapter 41 - Island Picnic**

* * *

It was early in the morning, and the sun was just beginning to rise. The four trainers had made their way to the beach, and Logan prepared the Mantine to take them to their next destination.

"I can just take a ferry there," Himawari exclaimed. He nervously looked out at the sea.

"You know, girls like boys that are brave," Logan said as he finished strapping on the saddles to the Mantine. He glanced over at Yui, and Himawari turned his head.

"It sucks that we don't get to spend more time together, but I wish you the best of luck in Pacifidlog Town," Yui said. "I know you'll win, and then we'll get a chance to face each other in the Grand Festival."

Yurie gave Yui a hug and held her tightly. "Train hard, okay? I'm looking forward to our battle!"

With that, the three set off onto their next destination. The waves were gentle this time around, and since Himawari and Yurie already had a little bit of practice, they were able to move a lot faster. The ocean was vast, but Hoenn was scattered with tiny little islands where various trainers could be found practicing with their Pokémon, but the life at sea was very active. Pokémon under the water raced with Mantine, and the trio eventually came upon a pod of Pokémon they had not seen before.

Yurie pulled out her Pokédex and held onto it tightly as she scanned them. "Wailmer, the Ball Whale Pokémon. Wailmer's nostrils are located above its eyes. This playful Pokémon loves to startle people by forcefully snorting out seawater it stores inside its body out of its nostrils," the Pokédex chimed.

"They're so cute!" Yurie cried out while she observed the round Pokémon play with one another in the water. Suddenly, the water began to shift, and a giant blue Pokémon emerged from the water. It forced air out of its blowhole, shooting water into the air.

"What is that?!" Himawari screamed.

Logan laughed. "That's the largest Pokémon I've ever seen."

"Wailord, the Float Whale Pokémon. When chasing prey, Wailord herds them by leaping out of the water and making a humongous splash. It is breathtaking to see this Pokémon leaping out of the sea with others in its pod."

"We're not prey, are we?" Himawari asked.

"We're fine, buddy," Logan said reassuringly.

The three continued on their long trek until noon came along, so they decided to stop at a small island. Once they got off of Mantine, Logan fed the Water-type Pokémon, and Yurie prepared a picnic for the trainers.

"We haven't had a lot of time to really cooldown recently," Himawari said as he approached a tree. He sat down in the shade and let out a sigh. "Feels like we're always doing something. Contests, gym battles, traveling, fighting with evil dudes."

Yurie giggled. "You're not competing or anything, so why complain?"

"Because I can?" Himawari said with a laugh.

Logan sat down in the shade and then released his Pokémon. Yurie and Himawari followed until all of the Pokémon were playing with one another on the beach. Aggron found some shade and laid down away from the others. Turtwig followed around Swampert and tried to pick pretend battles with some of the Pokémon. They mostly played along.

"Have you decided what Pokémon you'll be competing with in Pacifidlog?" Himawari asked.

Yurie shook her head. "Not yet. I'd love to perform with Turtwig, but she's still so young, and we haven't had any experience together. Shuppet will be doing something though."

Logan looked out at the Pokémon. "Turtwig is still a little young and won't be able to battle efficiently for a little while anyway. And this is one of your more important contests, so it's smart to go with more experienced Pokémon."

They watched as Turtwig lightly headbutted Mightyena.

"She is very eager to battle though," Logan noted.

Yurie handed Logan and Himawari small sandwiches that she had made before the group set off. She felt the wind of the ocean blow through her dark brown hair and then happily ate her own sandwich.

"This is nice," HImawari said as he looked out on the ocean. "Just time with my friends on the beach."

"We're your friends?" Logan asked with a laugh.

"Of course," Himawari said quietly. He laid back and put his arm over his eyes. "I'm really going to miss you two when our little adventure is over."

"Wasn't expecting this from you, Himawari," Yurie exclaimed. She smiled as she finished her sandwich. "This has been a fun adventure so far."

* * *

**Seven Months Earlier**

"Yurie, don't be afraid to pick out whichever Pokémon you think is the cutest. Remember, it's not about picking out a Pokémon to battle with. It's about choosing a partner that you'll learn to love and trust," Yurie's mom, Yuriko, explained.

"Mom, I'm not like Yui or Haruto. I don't have dreams of becoming some great Pokémon trainer," Yurie said as she stuffed a piece of toast in her mouth. "Why can't I just stay here with you and help out at the flower shop? I've even been studying flower language recently, so I think I'd be a great asset! Do you know what the sunflower means?"

"I only have eyes for you."

"Yes! I knew that, so I should just stay here."

Yuriko smiled and gently put her hand on Yurie's shoulder. "It's healthy for people to get out of their comfort zone and explore. You never know. Maybe right now, you're not interested in Pokémon. But once you meet your new Mudkip or Treecko or Torchic, your life will change."

Yurie started to well up and then she looked down at her food. "But Haruto… Yui… they…"

"I'll be okay," Yuriko said. One tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly wiped it away. "Your mom understands what it's like to be a Pokémon trainer. Sometimes, you forget to call."

"I won't forget," Yurie mumbled. "I promise."

Yurie finished her breakfast and then reluctantly walked to Professor Birch's lab. She walked in through the front door, and as usual, she noticed papers strewn about on the ground. She knelt down and picked a few of them up, placing them on a nearby stand with other papers that she'd picked up from days previous. She continued into the house and opened a large door which lead to Birch's lab. There, Yuta sat in his usual chair, reading a book.

"You're late," he said quietly.

"I had a big breakfast," she replied.

"Fattie."

"I'm nowhere near fat!" she screamed.

Yuta smiled. "I'm just joking."

Yurie looked around the room for anyone else. "Where's Yudai?"

Yuta shrugged. "I heard that his mom doesn't want him to travel yet, so he's dropped out."

"That means that a Pokémon will go without a partner."

"I guess so."

"Yurie! Yuta!" Birch's loud boasting voice called out. He came into the lab while he was slipping on his white jacket. "It's good to see you both so bright and early."

Yuta stood up and sighed. "You're late too, professor."

A woman with dark skin and long poofy hair appeared from behind Birch. "He's got a new obsession, and pulling him away from it was a hassle."

"Let's say we get started, Tania," Birch said. He rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"I'm excited," Yuta said with a smile on his face.

The four all walked towards the back of the laboratory where there was a giant table with three Poké Balls placed on it. Birch grabbed one Poké Ball and smiled.

"It's now that I present to you with your future partners!" Birch announced. He pushed the button on the Poké Ball and a small Pokémon with an orange body and tiny beak appeared.

"Torchic, the Chick Pokémon. He's a Fire-type," Tania explained.

Birch picked up the Poké Ball that sat in the middle and released the next Pokémon. It was also small but blue with orange cheeks.

"Mudkip, the Mud Fish Pokémon. This one's a Water-type."

"And finally," Birch said dramatically as he lifted the last Poké Ball. He pushed the button, and a green Pokémon with a large tail appeared. It smiled at its two friends and then crossed its arms.

"Treecko, the Wood Gecko Pokémon. The Grass-type of the trio," Tania said.

Birch nodded. "So, since Yuta had the highest scores on all of our exams, he has the option to pick first. However, you can always defer to Yurie if you so choose to. You know, ladies first."

Yuta smiled. "Nah."

Yurie huffed. "I don't care anyways…"

"I've thought about this for a long time. I've done my research on where I can get some of the strongest Pokémon in Hoenn, and I've come to the conclusion that Treecko will fit best on the team that I plan to create," Yuta said. "So, Treecko it is."

Tania shrugged. "I expected nothing less from you."

Birch handed over Treecko's Poké Ball to Yuta, and Treecko waved to his friends while he was withdrawn.

"And Yurie?"

Yurie looked closely at both of the Pokémon. "I… don't…"

"You don't know? I get it," Birch mumbled. "Both of them are great choices, and this decision will affect the rest of your journey."

"I don't care," Yurie said abruptly. "Either of them will do."

Tania sighed. "I expected nothing more."

Torchic looked up and smiled at Yurie. "Torchic!" it cried out happily.

Yurie shrugged. "Well, I guess I'll go with Torchic."

"Just like your sister," Birch said with a laugh. He handed over the Poké Ball and then stood up straight. "Yuta! Yurie! You both will start your Pokémon journeys today! There will be difficulties and at many times, you may find yourself lost or confused, but always remember to have fun!"

Yurie groaned. She looked at Yuta and lifted her Poké Ball. "So, are we supposed to have a battle or something?"

"What do you mean?" he asked with a snort.

"We're, like, rivals, so I thought that we're supposed to battle," she explained.

Yuta shook his head and then turned. "We're not rivals, Yurie. If you can even get close to my level, then I'll battle you."

She shrugged. "I guess I tried."

* * *

**Present Day**

Yurie looked out at her Pokémon. She watched Torchic closely as he played with Minun and Swampert. "I'm glad I chose you."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Very short chapter. I never actually showed the moment when Yurie and Yuta got their Pokémon, because I wanted my story to be a bit different, so I figured I'd take that opportunity to do that now. The next few chapters will all be heavily focused on Yurie.


	42. Popcorn

**Chapter 42 - Popcorn**

* * *

"Welcome to the Pacifidlog Winter Contest!" the announcer's voice rang throughout the small venue that they were in. "Today, our contestants will be competing for this beautiful Pacifidlog Winter Ribbon. For many, they see this as their last chance to enter into the Hoenn Grand Festival, so we're sure to see some of the best appeals and some intense battles today."

Yurie sat in the back room and she played with her thumbs. She tightly closed her eyes and took deep breaths. The pressure had already gotten to her.

"I can do this," she whispered.

Suddenly, the bench that she sat on shifted, and she looked up, noticing a familiar face, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Hey, Yurie!" the person said. It was a teenage boy with a white shirt, black jacket, and khaki cargo pants.

"Hello…"

"John! John Manson!" he said. "I can't believe you don't remember me."

"No, I do! I'm just bad with names," Yurie said. "You're competing today?"

John nodded. "Yep! It's going to be my fifth and final ribbon!"

"You seem confident," Yurie said with a nervous giggle.

"How's my egg?" he asked.

"It hatched into a Turtwig! She's adorable, but I still can't have her battle yet."

"I see! Well, I look forward to the day that you can battle with her," he said. "Nervous?"

Yurie nodded.

"Don't be. There's no point in worrying. If you're gonna win, then you're gonna win, and if you're gonna lose, then you're gonna lose."

"I guess… that's a way of looking at it," Yurie said with a confused look on her face.

"Coordinators, let's start with the Performance Stage!" the announcer yelled. "First up will be John Manson from Unova!"

John grinned as he stood up. "Watch out, everyone! Here I come!"

John ran to the stage, and he posed for the crowd.

"Hey, it's that dude who kicked your butt," Himawari said as he stuffed popcorn into his mouth.

"So, Yurie may have to face off against John, huh?" Logan wondered. "This is not going to be easy."

John used the giant Bug-type Pokémon that he battled Logan with. The appeal he used easily impressed both of the judges and the crowd, setting the bar unbelievably high. People in Unova were not used to seeing foreign Pokémon, and something as rare and powerful as Volcarona shocked the crowd.

Yurie wanted to cry, but she focused and watched all of the other performances. She made mental notes of each person and tried to figure out what kind of trainer they all were. And in a short time, her name was called.

She walked down the hallway towards the stage, and it all became a blur. The sound of the announcer and the crowd faded away, and all that should could hear were her own footsteps. The hallway seemingly got darker, and it became an endless tunnel. Once she reached the end, it all came flooding back in a rush of color and sound. She could hear the crowd and see the bright lights that lit up the stage.

"Please welcome, Kawahara Yurie!" the announcer yelled. The crowd cheered in response.

Yurie held her Poké Ball tightly in her hand as she shook. She looked up into the stands and noticed Logan, Himawari, and Mightyena. They were smiling and waving at her. She took in a deep breath and tossed her Poké Ball into the air. Shuppet burst forth and danced in the air.

"Shuppet, start with Shadow Ball!"

Shuppet twisted her body and formed a ball of dark energy in front of her. She continued to spin and created more balls, until she was surrounded completely by a ring of darkness. The crowd gasped in awe.

"Sucker Punch!" she instructed.

Shuppet stopped spinning. A haze of darkness overcame her bottom half, and she lunged it out at the balls, knocking them to different corners of the stage. The balls all stayed put, but they appeared to be struggling, and just like a magnetic pull, they quickly shot back towards the middle and Shuppet.

"Shadow Sneak!"

Moments before the balls could collide with Shuppet, she sank into the ground. The balls all smashed into one another, creating a quick explosion of dark energy. Small black sparks fell to the ground as Shuppet reappeared. She waved around her little body in a cute dance while balancing one more Shadow Ball on her head. The crowd laughed.

With one quick movement, Shuppet tossed the ball into the air and caught it with her body. The crowd cheered.

"It looks like we just witnessed some sort of circus act!" the announcer yelled. "Shuppet started with an escape routine of sorts and then finished it off by simply being charming and cute! Way to break those stereotypes that Ghost-types have to face!"

Yurie bowed, and Shuppet floated back to her side. The two then returned to the hallway, and Yurie fell against the wall. She sat down, and Shuppet floated above her.

"Shuppet?" the Pokémon wondered.

"I'm fine," Yurie said as she sniffled a little bit. "I'm just nervous."

* * *

"What do you think?" Himawari asked.

Logan sighed. "It wasn't her best appeal, but I think it's good enough for her to get to the Battle Stage. I think nerves are getting to her."

* * *

"Not bad," John said as Yurie returned to the backroom. "But we'll see."

The other coordinators all finished their appeals one by one, and most people looked distressed when they returned from the stage. The entire room was quiet as tensions grew.

"Okay, coordinators! We've finished the Performance Stage, and our judges have made their decision! We'll now reveal the four coordinators that'll be moving onto the Battle Stage!"

Everyone turned their attention to the screen. Yurie crossed her fingers.

"First to be moving on is John Manson from the Unova region!" she announced.

John shrugged. "I knew it. No sweat."

"Facing off against John will be Yanagimoto Shuto from Sinnoh!"

A skinny boy around the same age as John jumped up and down from joy. He turned to John and smiled.

"In our second match-up we have Caroline Bisset from the Kalos region!"

A girl who appeared to be only a few years older than Yurie stood up. She twirled around and let her dress flow in the air. She then bowed as some of the other coordinators expressed displeasure with her attitude.

"And finally…" the announcer said softly. The entire venue grew quiet. "Moving on to face Caroline will be…"

Logan and Himawari crossed their fingers. They moved to the edge of their seat and held their breath. Yurie held Torchic close, making the Fire-type squirm.

"Hoenn's very own, Kawahara Yurie!"

The crowd started to clap and cheer as Yurie's picture appeared on the screen. The brackets appeared, showcasing the upcoming matches.

"Good job, Yurie," John said as he patted her on the back.

She released Torchic and laughed. "I made it…"

"Good thing we're not facing off just yet. More dramatic this way," John exclaimed. He pointed at Yurie's opponent. "You be careful of her. She's not going to take it easy on you."

Caroline glanced over at Yurie and smirked. She winked and then turned and walked away. The rest of the trainers who did not move on filed out of the room. Most of them appeared disappointed in the results.

"Coordinators, we'll give you 15 minutes to prepare! Bring your A-game!" the announcer yelled.

Yurie walked into the hallway and sat against the wall once more. Torchic followed her and looked up with a smile.

"We'll be okay," she said. "We'll get to the grand festival no matter what."

"Torchic!" the Pokémon cried out.

* * *

"Who do you think she's going to go with for the battles?" Himawari asked.

"She's been having Torchic battle a lot recently," Logan responded. "I can see her giving him a break, and there's no way that she should risk Aggron right now."

"As far as I know, Minun hasn't mastered Shock Wave just yet," Himawari mumbled. "And there's no possible way she'll use Turtwig."

"Masquerain is an option, but she hasn't trained with it recently. A bit of a pickle."

* * *

The 15 minutes blew by quickly, and John and Shuto were called to the stage. Yurie returned to the room and sat down. Her body continued to feel weaker and weaker by the second.

"Starting us off will be John Manson and Yanagimoto Shuto! Begin!" the announcer's voice called.

Once more, Yurie's senses started to blur. She could no longer hear anything with the exception of her beating heart. Her vision darkened, and she could not focus on the TV. Time felt like it went at a snail's pace, but as soon as Yurie regained composure, she focused on the TV, and John had already won. He was celebrating with his Pokémon, which was long and blue with a yellow underbelly. It waddled on two small legs.

_How long was I out of it?_ She wondered. The clock said that the match only lasted around two minutes.

"Next, we'll see Caroline Bisset from Kalos take on Kawahara Yurie! Ladies, please come to the stage!"

Caroline quickly left the room while Yurie stood up slowly. She stumbled towards the door and took a few deep breaths.

"I can do this," she managed to say. Without thinking, she then bounded towards the stage as fast as she could, quickly meeting with Caroline. The two entered the stage together and took their positions. Caroline smirked as she observed Yurie in her current sweaty and nervous state.

"Coordinators, begin!"

Caroline stylishly pulled her Poké Ball from her belt and let it roll down her arm to her hand. She held it up to her face and posed before throwing it out onto the field. A large Pokémon with white and black fur appeared. Some of the black fur hung low off of its back, making it look like a jacket of sorts. It chewed on a small piece of shoot and cracked its knuckles while it waited for Yurie's move.

"Have you ever seen a Pokémon like that?" Himawari asked.

Logan shook his head. "Nope. That Pokémon is from Kalos, I bet."

"Masquerain, it's on you!" Yurie shouted while she tossed her Poké Ball onto the field. Masquerain appeared and flew straight into the air. She did a quick pose, and little droplets of water flew off of her body. The crowd clapped.

"Pangoro, we'll show no mercy. Hit it with a Bullet Punch!"

As Masquerain floated back towards the stage, Pangoro shot forward. His fist started to glow with a silvery tint, and he swung straight for the Flying-type.

"Bubblebeam!" Yurie ordered.

Masquerain released a flurry of dangerous bubbles from her mouth, but Pangoro's attack easily broke through them. He jabbed directly, getting a solid hit on Masquerain and sending her backwards.

"Follow it up with Crunch, my beauty!" Caroline instructed.

The giant Pokémon lunged forward as dark energy appeared in front of his face. The energy started to resemble giant jaws, and he unhinged them slowly. Before he could clamp them down, Yurie gave her next command.

"Bug Buzz!"

Masquerain started to flap her wings rapidly, and dark green energy exploded from her body. Pangoro winced and grabbed at his ears as the dark energy faded away. He looked at the ground and shook his head.

"Bubblebeam once more!"

Masquerain once again unleashed the frenzy of bubbles from her mouth, and they smacked repeatedly against the Dark-type. Pangoro stumbled back and then roared at Masquerain.

"Don't make a fool of my Pokémon!" Caroline yelled.

"Let's use Air Cutter, Masquerain!" Yurie instructed.

Masquerain flew into the air and started to released white energy from her wings. The white energy washed over the stage and shot directly towards Pangoro.

"Sky Uppercut!" Caroline commanded.

Pangoro ran through the energy and then launched himself into the air. He jabbed, punching Masquerain directly.

"Body Slam!"

With one quick motion, Pangoro grabbed onto Masquerain and placed her under his stomach. He stretched out his arms and legs and stretched out his body, and the two plummeted towards the ground.

"Silver Wind!"

Masquerain used any momentum that she had left and shot dark silver energy from her wings at the ground. This stopped the downward motion of Pangoro's attack, and the two were sent into the air.

"What?!" Caroline screamed.

Pangoro let go of Masquerain, and he quickly crashed to the ground as Masquerain fluttered in the air safely.

"Tackling Bug Buzz!"

Masquerain fluttered her wings and started to create the dark green energy from before. She spun her body in circles and collided directly with Pangoro, tossing the giant Pokémon backwards.

"Pangoro, use another Bullet Punch!"

Pangoro slowly lifted his body and then tried to run forward. His footsteps were heavy, and his body was a little more wobbly than before. He raised his arm and swung it towards Masquerain.

"Bubblebeam!"

Masquerain flew forward while unleashing her bubble attack. This time, Pangoro was too exhausted to power through. The bubbles exploded against his body, and he collapsed to one knee, stopping his attack in the process.

Suddenly, the buzzer sounded, and everyone turned their attention to the scoreboard. Yurie's points showed that she still had about thirty percent left while Caroline's bar was completely empty.

"It looks like we have our winner! Yurie will now be moving on to the final around to face off against John!" the announcer declared loudly.

Yurie and Caroline returned to the backroom, and without a word, Caroline grabbed her bag, shot a glare at Yurie, and then walked away.

"It's me against you now, kid," John said as he watched Caroline storm from the room. "I'm excited, but I won't take it easy on you."

Yurie nodded. "I'll do my best."

* * *

"She used Bug Buzz defensively," Logan commented. "I think she's finally getting a handle on how contest battling works."

"It all came naturally too. Yurie has gotten a lot stronger than when we first met," Himawari added. "So, Yurie vs. John. How do you see it going?" He shoved some popcorn into his mouth.

Logan crossed his arms and then closed his eyes. "John is an absolute powerhouse of a trainer. If Yurie is going to win, she's going to have to bring her absolute best. Not a single mistake can be made."

* * *

The small break that Yurie and John received was quickly over, and they were called to the stage. Yurie and John walked together down the hallway, and this time, Yurie's senses were just fine. She felt tuned in and prepared to take on John in an all out battle. She grinned at him as they both split to go to their own sides of the field.

"We've now entered into the final battle!" the announcer declared. "Whoever wins this will have enough ribbons to move onto the Hoenn Grand Festival! The whole region is watching this match, so please do your best!"

_The whole region?_ Yurie thought. Her hand started to tremble as she grabbed her Poké Ball.

"Begin!"

"G-go, Masquerain!"

"Eelektross, it's all on you!" John yelled while he tossed his Poké Ball onto the field. His long Pokémon with stubby legs appeared. She held up her two arms and prepared to fight.

"John has the type-advantage," Logan mumbled.

"Yurie will be fine," Himawari responded. He stood up. "You can do this, Yurie! Show him the power of Hoenn!"

"Eelektross, use Flamethrower!" John commanded.

"Bubblebeam!" Yurie ordered in response.

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks, and the energy clashed in the middle of the stage. It exploded into a giant cloud of smoke, shrouding the entire area.

"Thunder Punch, now!"

Eelektross bounced on her tiny feet and then jumped into the smoke. She quickly emerged from under Masquerain and jabbed upwards, knocking the Flying-type into the air with sheer momentum from her attack.

"Silver Wind!"

Masquerain unleashed a barrage of silver energy from her wings, but before any of them could connect, Eelektross disappeared back into the smoke.

"One more time!" John yelled. "Flamethrower!"

As the smoke began to clear, Eelektross gaped open her mouth, and flames erupted. Masquerain easily dodged it and then started to descend towards Eelektross.

"Tackling Bug Buzz!"

Masquerain vibrated her wings, and the dark green energy started to emit from her. But seconds before she could make contact, John made his next move.

"Aqua Tail!"

Eelektross flipped his body around as water started to form across her tail. She swung at the incoming Masquerain, knocking the Bug-type back into the air.

Yurie watched as her Pokémon fluttered weakly. With only two attacks, Masquerain had already taken a lot of damage.

_Everybody in Hoenn is watching. My mom. Yui. Michika._ Yurie thought. "I can't lose here! Masquerain, give it your strongest Air Cutter!"

Masquerain quickly recovered, and her wings started to glow. She blasted forth white energy downwards at Eelektross, who raised her arms in preparation to defend herself.

"Dragon Pulse!" John shouted.

Eelektross formed a ball of blue fire in between her arms. She tossed it at the ground, sending waves of blue energy around the stage. The waves connected with Masquerain's attack, completely destroying it. They then washed over Masquerain, and the Flying-type started to fall towards the ground.

"Finish this with Thunder Punch!"

Without a second's hesitation, Eelektross shot into the air. She swung her arm into Masquerain, blasting her towards the ground. Masquerain crashed hard, creating a small explosion of smoke. Once the smoke cleared, the buzzer sounded, and Yurie stared at her Pokémon with a look of shock on her face.

"And that's that!" the announcer yelled. "With an absolutely dominant performance, John wins with a Battle Off! John Manson has won the Pacifidlog Winter Ribbon, and will be moving onto the Hoenn Grand Festival!"

Yurie fell to her knees, still not taking her eyes off of her fainted Pokémon. She slowly raised her arm and returned Masquerain back to her ball. "I'm sorry," she muttered.

"No…" Logan said.

"I… I have no words," Himawari mumbled.

Once the ceremonies for the contest were over, and John was awarded his ribbon, Yurie ran all the way to the Pokémon Center by herself. Logan and Himawari were quick to catch up, and when they arrived, Yurie was laying down in one of the booths at the Pokémon Center diner. Her Torchic sat on the opposite side and was nibbling on a french fry.

"Yurie…" Logan mumbled.

"Please don't," she responded. "I don't want to talk right now."

Logan walked forward and lightly grabbed onto Yurie's arm. He pulled her up and hugged. "It'll be okay. You did great, Yurie."

"If I would have trained more, I could have won," she said as tears streamed down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms around Logan and squeezed tightly. "I wasn't good enough."

"We've all had our fair share of feeling that way," Himawari said softly. "Your opponent was just really good this time around."

"And I wasn't good enough…"

_TO BE CONTINUED..._


	43. Brantada

**Chapter 43 - Brantada**

* * *

Logan stayed quiet as he held his friend. He ran his hand over her head and tried to hold back tears. The three stood in silence while Torchic enjoyed his snack.

Himawari, not sure what to do with himself, looked towards the TV that hung up on the wall of the Pokémon Center diner. "Wait up!" Himawari yelled. The two turned to him. He pointed frantically. "The-the news!"

"What?" Logan asked. He couldn't read the characters that were displayed on the bottom half of the screen.

Yurie's eyes widened. "There's one more contest."

Himawari nodded. "It looks like they're holding one more contest in Sootopolis City. It's being hosted by the gym leader."

Yurie pulled out her PokéNav and went straight to the contest news portion of it. "They're calling it the one and only spring contest," Yurie said. "But it's in two days."

"If that's the case, then we have to go," Logan said. He quickly stood up. "Let's get our stuff and go. I'll get the Mantine ready."

"Should I enter? I have no time to prepare!" Yurie exclaimed.

Himawari nodded his head as fast as he could. "We're going. You're not giving up. I'll even ride the Mantine for you at top speed. We're going!"

Yurie wiped her tears from her cheeks. "Okay. One more chance!"

* * *

The group traveled to Sootopolis overnight, and they arrived early in the morning. With only one full day left, they rented a Pokémon Center room and took short naps. By noon, they were all awake, and Yurie began to practice with her Pokémon in the courtyard.

"Real lucky that you were given this opportunity, eh?" Himawari said as he trimmed his nails. He sat back in the Pokémon Center lounge chair and enjoyed the cool weather.

"I can't get too excited until the end of the contest," Yurie said. "Until then, I can't be satisfied."

Logan nodded. "But we can at least be grateful."

"Logan, do you mind if I borrow some of your TM's?" Yurie asked. "I want to see if there is anything else that I can teach my Pokémon."

"Of course!" Logan said as he went through his bag. "Use what you need!"

"We're gonna do our best!" Yurie said. She looked through the different disks that he handed over and pulled out a light pink one. "This is the one I was looking for!"

* * *

Yurie trained with her Pokémon nonstop until it was around dinner time. Logan was the one to remind the group about food, and the three decided to roam the streets for a restaurant.

Sootopolis was different in architecture and scenery compared to the rest of Hoenn. Most of the buildings were made of a grey clay, and some of the streets were made of flowing canals. It was packed with people and trainers who came to view what was being called the final contest of the season. Finding a restaurant was not easy.

"So, this is Brantada," Himawari said as the group received their food. It appeared to be fried fish covered in some sort of red sauce. "It's not traditional Hoenn food, but it is very popular in Sootopolis."

"Looks like something from Unova," Logan said with a smile. "Ravioli!"

"Let's eat!" Yurie exclaimed.

"Itadakimasu!"

The three quickly finished up their food, and then they made their way back to the Pokémon Center. Usually, they would have gone shopping or attempted to see any of the sights in Sootopolis, but Yurie felt that she needed more time to train.

Upon returning to the Pokémon Center courtyard, they were met with dozens of other trainers who had the same idea. People each found their own corners of the giant courtyard and practiced with their Pokémon.

"It's a bit crowded here," Yurie mumbled.

"There's no problem with us having a battle or two on the streets to practice," Logan said with a smile. "Let's go out front."

Yurie nodded and the three started to make their way through the Pokémon Center when they came across a familiar face.

"Yuta!" Logan said with a grin. "What are you doing in Sootopolis?"

Yuta smiled and opened his green leather jacket to reveal eight gym badges pinned to the inside. "Just won my last necessary gym badge."

"So, the last gym badge is here…" Logan muttered.

Yuta closed his jacket and then looked at Yurie. "I saw you lose yesterday."

Yurie's posture seemed to become weak, and she looked away from Yuta.

Yuta sighed. "But to be fair, I don't think even I could beat your opponent. He was brutally strong."

Yurie perked up a little bit. "Really?"

Yuta nodded. "Really. I assume you're here for the Sootopolis Spring Contest."

"I'm here to win!" Yurie declared.

Yuta took a deep breath through his nose and then thought for a moment. "Well, I hope you make everyone from Littleroot Town proud. Don't go losing tomorrow."

Yurie smiled from ear to ear. "You think I can win?"

"I didn't say that," Yuta snapped. "I just said that you shouldn't lose. I don't like weak rivals."

Yurie paused. Her smile faded and she looked shocked. "Rival?"

"Yeah."

"So, that means that we have… a battle?"

Yuta looked up and slowly pulled a Poké Ball from his belt. "Yeah."

"Beat him," Himawari whispered.

The group moved outside to the front of the Pokémon Center and found a small space where they could have a battle. In the middle of their makeshift battlefield was a small fountain, and they were surrounded by two canals where people were watching them.

"What do you say to a simple one on one battle?" Yuta asked. "I have a new Pokémon that I want to try out."

Yurie nodded. "Sounds perfect to me!"

"Huntail, let's do this!" Yuta yelled while throwing his ball into the air. His slender Pokémon appeared and then immediately dove into the small fountain area.

"A Water-type," Yurie said. She looked down at Torchic. "We need to learn to fight against our weaknesses, so Torchic, I choose you."

Torchic held his head up high and then ran out onto the field.

"I like your attitude, but it's decisions like that which make you weak," Yuta said with a cocksure grin.

"We'll be fine!" Yurie snapped.

"Let's start," Yuta said calmly. "Huntail, use Aqua Tail."

Yuta's Pokémon exploded from the fountain, and his body surrounded itself with aquatic energy. He swung his tail, sending the energy flying towards Torchic.

"Dodge it!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic nodded and then jumped high into the air, easily avoiding the attack.

"Flamethrower!"

While airborne, Torchic unleashed flames from his mouth. But, Huntail was quick, and he dove back into the water.

"Missed…" Yurie muttered.

"Water Pulse."

Huntail appeared once more, and this time he formed a ball of aquatic energy in front of his mouth. He shot it towards the ground, and it exploded into a giant wave.

"Fire Burst!" Yurie yelled.

Torchic landed back on the ground and then unleashed a ball of fire from his mouth. The ball exploded into a giant explosion of fire, and the two attacks clashed with one another. The water overtook the fire quickly, and then raced towards Torchic.

"Aerial Ace!"

Torchic twisted and jumped into the air, narrowly avoiding Huntail's attack. He then shot forward as his beak started to glow white, and a streak of light followed his body. He shot through the air and collided with Huntail before the Water-type could retreat back into the water. Huntail flew back, a worried express came across his face.

"Dive!" Yuta yelled.

Huntail nodded, and suddenly, a light red energy flowed over his body. He jolted to the side, and then dove into one of the canals nearby.

"Some Pokémon, like Huntail or Wailmer, struggle to battle outside of the water, and by using a move like Dive, Yuta can keep his Pokémon safe," Logan explained.

"So, even if Yurie can knock Huntail out of the water, Dive will just bring him right back to it?" Himawari wondered.

Logan nodded.

"Be careful, Torchic! We're not sure when he'll attack!" Yurie warned. Her Pokémon responded by cautiously looking over towards the canal.

"Ice Fang!" Yuta yelled.

Huntail exploded from the opposite end of the battlefield that he had dove into, and his long body darted across the battlefield while ice started to form at his mouth. He clamped down onto Torchic's small body, and ice began to crystalize over the two of them. Huntail quickly let go, and the red energy from before surrounded him. He dove back into one of the canals and disappeared.

Torchic shook as the ice continued to form over his body, but he was still able to stand straight.

"Let's use Water Pulse!"

"Flamethrower before it explodes!"

As Huntail emerged from the water, Torchic unleashed a stream of flames from his mouth. Huntail released his ball of aquatic energy, but the flames connected with it, sending the ball back towards Huntail. It exploded, sending a wave at the Water-type. The wave washed over Huntail, and he fell back into the water. The heat from the flames melted the ice that had formed over Torchic's body, and he puffed out his chest with pride.

"That was smart," Yuta said. "You have gotten good."

"I've put in a lot of hard work! I bet you're surprised," Yurie said with a smile.

"I am, but it won't be good enough!" Yuta said. "Aqua Tail!"

Huntail exploded from the canal once more while his body was surrounded with the aquatic energy. He twisted his body, and prepared to let the energy explode from his body, but he instead fell to the ground and struggled to move.

"What?!" Yuta wondered.

"I think Water Pulse confused your own Pokémon!" Yurie exclaimed. "Torchic, use Aerial Ace!"

"Torchic!" the Pokémon cried out as he leapt forward. He jabbed his beak directly into Huntail's side and sent the Water-type soaring into the air. Huntail landed hard onto the ground and then curled his long body up and went limp.

"I… won…" Yurie said in shock.

Yuta, without a word, lifted his Poké Ball and returned Huntail. He looked at Yurie and sighed. "You better win tomorrow."

Yurie stood in shock with her mouth held open.

"Get that dumb look off your face!" Yuta yelled. "Pull yourself together, and tomorrow, win for everyone back in Littleroot Town. You have a duty to make our class look good. We're only as good as our weakest member, Yurie."

"I'm not sure if I like how he's trying to motivate her," Himawari mumbled.

Yurie grinned and held a thumbs up. "I'm going to win. I promise!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I kind of bended the rules with this battle with Dive, but I kind of see it as being a move that Water-type Pokémon can use to find nearby water, if there were to be any. So, that's what I did here.

Now, onto Yurie's true final chance at the Hoenn Grand Festival.


	44. Hot Dog

**Chapter 44 - Hot Dog**

* * *

Sootopolis City was quiet the morning of Yurie's contest. She woke up early and went to the Pokémon Center courtyard and released her Pokémon from their capsules.

"We won't be training today," she told them as they each appeared. Aggron rolled his eyes and then laid down by a nearby tree. "We need to do our best. Anyone who has entered this contest is desperate to get into the grand festival. The stakes are high for everyone."

Her Pokémon all looked at one another. Torchic then stepped forward and held his head up high. Minun followed and then Shuppet. Masquerain floated in the air happily while Turtwig never turned his attention away from Aggron.

"Today, I want to work with Masquerain for the Performance Stage," Yurie said. Her Pokémon floated around happily. "And then Minun, we'll battle together!" Minun held up one of her arms and cheered.

"Turtwig!" her baby Pokémon cried out.

Yurie knelt down. "I know. I know. Turtwig, you want to battle, and I understand that. But today is too important. I promise that we'll work together next time!"

Turtwig smiled and then danced around a little bit.

Yurie scratched the back of her head and laughed nervously. "I'm not sure if she understood all of that…"

"Getting ready?" a voice called from behind.

Yurie turned to find a familiar face. Michika, with her short wavy black hair, and a blue dress, stood smiling at the backdoor of the Pokémon Center.

"Michika! What are you doing here?"

Michika smiled and looked over all of Yurie's Pokémon. "I came here to support you. I wanted to watch your performance. I saw your Pacifidlog contest, and I knew as soon as this contest was announced that you'd be here."

Yurie felt herself welling up, and she ran to her friend and gave her a hug. "Thank you, Michika!"

"Do your best today!"

* * *

"Welcome one and all to the one and only Sootopolis Spring Contest! This is not only the first contest that we're holding in spring, but also the last contest of the season! This contest was brought on by Sootopolis's Gym Leader, Adan!" the announcer yelled.

The spotlight on the stage focused on the middle, lighting up a man who wore a stylish blue coat. His hair was black and slicked back with tufts of white spiked perfectly in the front. He held his microphone in one hand and grinned.

"Those of you who know me know me as the gym leader of Sootopolis City, but back in my heyday as a trainer, I was a coordinator. I don't like to speak on my own behalf, but I eventually became an accomplished coordinator known across the different regions," Adan explained. "This season has been my first as the Sootopolis Gym Leader, and while I enjoy my duties, I do miss performing on stage. Today, I want to live through these young coordinators, and I want to feel the passion you have for Pokémon Contests!" He held his other hand into the air revealing and black and white ribbon. "This is the Last Chance Sootopolis Ribbon! Coordinators, do your best, and let's put on a show that no one will ever forget!"

The crowd cheered as the stage lights went dark, and on the screen, a highlight reel of various coordinators was displayed.

Yurie sat in the back and watched the highlight reel. She held Masquerain's Poké Ball tightly in her hand. "We can do this." Torchic sat on her lap and watched the TV intently.

Meanwhile, Logan, Himawari, Yuta, and Michika all sat in the stands. They watched as the video played. Yurie's previous loss to John quickly flashed on the screen, and they all looked at one another.

"Do you think she prepared enough?" Himawari asked.

"I saw her Pokémon this morning, and they look like they're in tiptop shape!" Michika remarked.

Logan laughed. "She's going to win. I know it."

Yuta remained quiet and focused on the video.

The video ended, and everything went silent and dark.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Let's begin!" the announcer's voice called out, and the crowd responded with cheers.

Yurie watched the other coordinators as they started to perform. She waited patiently for her name to be called, and as soon as it was, she made her way down the hallway. She gripped tightly onto Masquerain's Poké Ball.

"We can do this," she whispered into the Poké Ball. "We can do this."

"Everyone, welcome to the stage, Kawahara Yurie!" the announcer yelled as the crowd cheered.

Yurie approached the middle of the stage, and the crowd went silent. She held her arms up into the air and took one deep breath.

"Let's go, Masquerain!" she called while tossing her Poké Ball into the air. Masquerain exploded from the Poké Ball and did a quick pose in the air. The crowd awed at the beauty of the blue Pokémon. "Let's start with your soaring Bubblebeam!"

Masquerain cried out happily as she released bubbles from her mouth. She flew through the air, creating a line of bubbles that followed and surrounded her. Soon enough, the air was filled with bubbles.

"Now, Bug Buzz!"

Masquerain flew towards the middle of the stage and then focused her energy. She flapped her wings rapidly, creating a dark green energy that emanated off of her body. It popped the nearby bubbles while blowing the others away, sending a few into the crowd. The ones in the crowd gently popped, making a few of the younger audience members laugh.

"Let's finish this with your new Air Slash!"

Masquerain shot into the air and twisted her body. White energy began to entirely surround her, and she released it with an explosion of light. The white energy shredded all of the remaining bubbles to pieces, making them all pop into a small show of white and blue fireworks. The crowd started to cheer as small water particles and bits of white energy sparkled in the air.

"What a wonderful performance!" the announcer yelled. "Using a combination of only three attacks, Masquerain was able to entertain and show off her extraordinary powers!"

Yurie raised her arm and Masquerain landed on her hand. She then bowed, and the two ran to the back. Once out of sight, Masquerain flew off of her hand and happily danced in the air.

"You did wonderful!" Yurie told her Pokémon.

The two returned to the back room, and a few of the other coordinators gave her looks. It was not going to be a friendly competition this time, and she knew it.

The last few trainers did their appeals for the judges and crowd, and before everyone knew it, it was time to announce the results.

"Everyone, the time has come to reveal who will be moving onto the Battle Stage!" the announcer yelled into the mic. "Announcing these results will be Sootopolis Gym Leader himself, Adan!"

The crowd cheered as Adan approached the middle of the stage. He took his mic in one hand and grinned.

"Coordinators, you did very well today. I could truly feel the passion between you and your Pokémon," he said. His face was then filled with sadness. "It is to my displeasure that not all of you can move on. There can only be four, and ultimately, only one coordinator will win."

Yurie looked at Minun's Poké Ball. She started to hold her breath.

"But I am happy to announce the four coordinators that will fight on! First, is Masahiro Masato from the Sinnoh region!"

A picture of a boy about the same age as Logan appeared on the screen. He had lengthy red hair that was slicked back and clean skin.

"Second, we'd like to announce Kawahara Yurie from Littleroot Town!"

The crowd cheered loudly as Yurie's face appeared on the screen.

"Little Yurie will take on Masato in the semi-final round. Our next match-up will be Brian Baumann from the Unova region!"

A boy with short blonde hair and the perfect chin appeared on the screen. The girls in the crowd squealed at the appearance of what seemed to be the ideal Unovan.

"He's not that good looking," Logan muttered.

"You're kidding me?" Himawari asked in disbelief. "He's gorgeous!"

"If Yurie doesn't win, then we'll cheer for him!" Michika added.

"And our final contestant, from Mauville City is Ibaragi Mayumi!" Adan announced.

A girl with black hair and a pale complexion appeared on screen. She had sunken in eyes and a sinister smile on her face.

"Let's look at the bracket!" Adan suggested.

The graphics on the screen changed to show the small tournament bracket with the four coordinator's faces. The crowd cheered as Adan read off their names one more time. Yurie and Mayumi were the clear fan favorites to win since they were both from Hoenn.

"These four all performed very well," Adan said into the microphone. "And I believe that everyone wants to make it to the grand festival, but I only want the most passionate coordinator to move on. This last chance contest does not come with ease, trainers."

A hush fell over the crowd and Adan smirked.

"The Hoenn Grand Festival's Battle Stage consists of double battles, and as a way to prepare you for what's ahead, today's contest will do the same. Trainers, you will be having double battles from here on out!"

"So, there was a catch?" Logan wondered.

Michika nodded. "I'm curious to see what this will do for everyone's strategy. They're gonna have to think on the fly."

"It probably won't be pretty, but it'll definitely be interesting," Himawari muttered.

"Yurie doesn't respond well to pressure," Yuta said. "She failed all of our pop quizzes."

Yurie looked at her Poké Ball. "A-a double battle?"

"Let me explain the rules of these double battles. You are supposed to have your Pokémon battle in a dazzling fashion! If both of your Pokémon faints, then that is a battle off. If one of your Pokémon faints, then you will automatically lose half of whatever points you have left. You can still defeat your opponent by knocking out their points or by having more points left when the time limit is up," Adan explained. "We will give you a 20 minute break to prepare. Coordinators, do your best!"

As soon as the intermission was announced, Logan and Michika made their way to the locker room while Himawari walked to the food stands. Yuta remained sitting with his arms crossed. When Logan and Michika arrived in the locker room, they found Yurie in a panicked state.

"What am I gonna do?" Yurie wondered. She looked at her remaining Poké Balls. "Turtwig is a no go. Aggron won't listen. Torchic is exhausted. And I'm not experienced enough with Shuppet!"

Michika grabbed her friend by the shoulders. "Calm down, Yurie. You'll be okay!"

"I wasn't ready for this contest as it was!" Yurie exclaimed. "And now they're throwing this extra little twist!"

Logan sighed and then looked around the room. "Yurie, look at everyone else."

Yurie did just that. She noticed that the other coordinators were also staring at their various Poké Balls, attempting to form strategies.

"You're not alone," Logan said.

Yurie took a sigh of relief. "I-I guess I didn't realize that. But I still have no idea who I should choose."

"Don't do anything your not comfortable with," Michika said. "Right now is not the time for risks."

Yurie slowly nodded. "That makes sense. I'll do my best." She paused. "We'll do our best."

The 20 minutes blew by quickly, and Yurie's friends returned to their seats in the audience.

"A simple hot dog!" Himawari announced as he handed over the food to Logan and Michika.

Logan looked at his hot dog closely. It was covered in ketchup and mayonnaise. "Mayo? Why would you ruin a hot dog like that?"

"Dude," Himawari said as he stuffed his food in his mouth. "Hoenn mayonnaise is good."

"Okay, everyone! We will now start the Battle Stage!" the announcer said as Yurie and Masato appeared from the hallway. They both ran over to their trainer's boxes and prepared to battle. "Begin!"

Masato tossed two Poké Balls into the air. One of his Pokémon was a small orange and brown Bug-type that fluttered in the air while the other was a big orange Pokémon with what seemed like a giant coat of puffy orange fur down his sides.

"Mothim and Floatzel," Michika commented. "I've seen these two Pokémon in Sinnoh."

"Minun, Torchic, go!" Yurie ordered while she tossed Minun's Poké Ball onto the stage. Torchic ran from her side and met Minun.

The buzzer sounded, and the timer began to count down.

"Mothim, tackling Bug Buzz! Floatzel, give 'em a Focus Blast!" Masato ordered.

The Bug-type flew forward as he blasted dark green energy from his body. Floatzel stood in the back and put his hands together. He began to charge energy within his palms, and then he lunged it forward.

"Double Team!" Yurie instructed.

Minun nodded and then began to multiply her body, appearing all around the field. Mothim stopped his attack and looked puzzled. Suddenly, Torchic jumped into the air.

"Aerial Ace!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic twisted his body and then dove forwards. He jabbed his beak into Mothim, knocking him back. Minun stopped his maneuver, and Yurie's Pokémon both cheered, but then the stage began to rumble. They refocused their attention to find a giant ball of energy coming straight towards them. It connected directly, blasting them backwards.

"Air Slash! Razor Wind!" Masasto commanded.

His two Pokémon charged their energy. Mothim released white energy from his wings while Floatzel turned and started to spin his massive tails rapidly, unleashing a white energy onto the field.

"We have to fight back!" Yurie said. "Thunderbolt! Flamethrower!"

Minun and Torchic quickly recovered from their previous damage and then started their attacks. Minun unleashed electricity onto the field while a steady stream of flames exploded from Torchic's mouth. The attacks all met in the middle of the stage, exploding on contact.

"Aerial Ace!" Masato commanded.

Mothim blasted forward through the smoke. He quickly appeared through the other side, but Yurie was ready.

"Shock Wave!"

Minun stood in front of Torchic and formed a ball of energy in her arms. She then blasted it straight forward. Mothim was blasted with it, and he fell towards the ground, but Floatzel was quick, catching his partner in his arms.

"Minun finally mastered Shock Wave!" Himawari exclaimed.

"Floatzel, use Whirlpool!"

Floatzel put down Mothim and then twisted his body. As though he were breakdancing, he started to spin on his head, creating aquatic energy at the tips of his feet. The energy formed together to create a giant tornado of water. He then came back to his feet and unleashed the water towards Torchic and Minun.

"Take Torchic with you!" Yurie yelled out. "Double Team!"

Minun nodded and grabbed onto Torchic's small the wing. The two then raced around the field, creating copies of one another. The giant whirlpool sucked in a few of the copies, but none of them appeared to be the real Torchic and Minun. Suddenly, the real Pokémon appeared behind Mothim.

"Flame Burst!"

Torchic jumped into the air and unleashed his attack. A small burst of fire shot from his mouth which soon exploded into a wave of flames. The wave engulfed Mothim completely, and when they faded away, Mothim was left unconscious on the ground.

Everyone turned their attention to the screen as Masato's points were halved. The boy stamped his feet.

"No!" he cried out as he returned Mothim to his Poké Ball.

"Torchic, Minun, keep up the pressure!" Yurie said. "Aerial Ace! Electro Ball!"

"Double hit!"

Torchic shot forward with his beak glowing with white energy while Minun formed a ball of electricity on the tip of her tail. Floatzel lowered his head and waited for them to get close. Once they did, he jumped into the air. He uppercutted Torchic, sending the Fire-type flying back, and then twisted his body, smacking the ball of electric energy away with his tail. He landed back onto the stage and posed.

Minun and Torchic quickly regrouped and checked on one another. Torchic appeared exhausted.

"Give them one more Focus Blast!" Masato commanded.

Floatzel formed a ball of energy within his hands and then lifted it into the air. He then tossed it towards Yurie's Pokémon as they prepared to counterattack.

"Flamethrower! Thunderbolt!"

Torchic unleashed flames from his mouth once more while Minun crackled with electricity. The electric attack mixed with the flames, and all of the attacks collided in the middle of the stage. Yurie's Pokémon's attacks won out, destroying the ball of focused energy and continuing on. They enveloped Floatzel and quickly dissipated as the Water-type fell to one knee.

The buzzer sounded.

"It looks like we have our winner!" the announcer yelled while everyone looked up at the screen. Yurie had roughly a quarter of her points left while Masato's bar was empty. "Kawahara Yurie is moving onto the finals!"

Yurie cheered and then ran out onto the stage to pick up both of her Pokémon. "You did great! And that last move was fantastic!"

Masato huffed as he returned his Floatzel. He then walked back to the hallway with his head down.

Yurie also quickly returned. She passed the next two trainers as they made their way to the stage. Not a single person made eye contact with one another.

Yurie and Masato returned to the back together, but Masato quickly grabbed his bags and then left. Yurie was alone with only her Pokémon.

"Let's watch closely, guys!" she said. The two Pokémon nodded. Yurie knelt down and started to rub medicine into Torchic's feathers.

The battle between Brian and Mayumi was a quick one. While Brian appeared strong, his Pokémon easily fell to Mayumi and her combination attacks. She used two Grass-type Pokémon with sinister looks on their faces, and they appeared more prepared than anyone else. Yurie started to get nervous.

"All of that training with Steven must have taught Yurie a thing or two about double battles," Logan said. "I think she'll be okay."

"But Mayumi was really strong. She looks like she's been preparing for double battles her whole life," Himawari mumbled.

"Yurie's got this!" Michika exclaimed.

Mayumi and Yurie were given a five minute break to begin preparing for their final battle. During this time, they did not talk to each other at all, but instead stood on opposite sides of the room and discussed strategy with their Pokémon. Soon enough, the announcer called for both of them, and they started their trek down the hallways.

"Good luck!" Yurie said with a smile.

Mayumi grinned. "You too, little Yurie."

This creeped Yurie out, and she slowed her pace a little bit. The two eventually reached the stage and walked towards their respective sides.

"This is our final round and both of these trainers' final chance at the Hoenn Grand Festival! Do your best!" the announcer yelled. "Begin!"

"Shifty! Cacturne! Go!" Mayumi shouted as she tossed her two Poké Balls into the air. Her Pokémon appeared and took their fighting stances.

"Minun, Torchic, let's do this!" Yurie called. Her Pokémon ran from her side and onto the stage. They posed and glared at their opponents.

"Leaf Storm and Needle Arm combination attack!" Mayumi yelled.

Her Pokémon with the long flowing white hair jumped forward. He started to form wind energy in his arms, and leaves fell from his long hair. Suddenly, he whipped up a tornado of leaves, and her other Pokémon jumped into it. Shifty blasted the tornado forward while Cacturne spun around on the inside. He stuck one of his arms out, and the needles expanded.

"That looks dangerous!" Himawari yelled.

"Dodge!" Yurie ordered, but it was too late.

The two Pokémon attempted to jump to the sides, but Minun was caught inside of the storm, and Torchic was battered with the spikey arm. Torchic flew back while Minun was brought forward. Minun found herself standing in the middle of both of Mayumi's Pokémon.

"Poison Jab and X-Scissor!" Mayumi commanded.

Shiftry crossed his arms as Cacturne's dominant arm began to glow purple. The two focused their attention on Minun and ran forward.

"Flame Burst!" Yurie yelled.

Torchic stood back up and then released a small burst of fire. It exploded into a wave and then raced towards Cacturne. The cactus Pokémon turned and stared wide eyed at the flames.

"Shock Wave!"

Minun quickly formed a ball of energy in her arms and unleashed it at the ground, sending her into the air. The flames then washed over both of Mayumi's Pokémon, and they screeched. When the flames died down, they both still stood, but they were laughing, as though they took joy in the pain from the fire and electricity.

"That's unsettling," Yurie muttered.

"Hurricane!" Mayumi yelled.

Shifty nodded and then jumped forward. He started to form more wind energy in his hands. He then lifted the energy into the air, showcasing a small storm of wind that he had created.

"Dark Pulse!"

With one quick movement, Shifty smacked his hands onto the ground, blasting dark energy towards the storm. The wind energy turned black, and he threw it forward.

"Cacturne, leap in with Brick Break!"

Cacturne nodded and then jumped into the black hurricane.

"Let's take them head on!" Yurie said. "Torchic, jump in with Aerial Ace! Minun, use Electro Ball!"

Minun formed a ball of electricity on the tip of her tail. She then tossed it into the air, and Torchic caught it on the tip of his beak. He then dove face first into the black hurricane and disappeared.

No one could see what was happening, but the crowd could hear the two Pokémon colliding on the inside. Occasionally, sparks of energy emitted from the hurricane, and with time, both of the Pokémon exploded to the outside. The hurricane then died down, leaving the crowd quiet.

Yurie and Mayumi looked at one another, waiting for someone to make a call.

"Fine! We'll move then!" Yurie said. "Slash and Shock Wave!"

"Sucker Punch! Dark Pulse!"

Torchic ran forward and then jumped into the air while Minun unleashed her attack straight towards Mayumi's Pokémon. Meanwhile, Cacturne lowered his head and jumped at Torchic. He swung his arm at him, getting in a direct hit and making the Fire-type fall towards the ground. Shiftry unleashed his dark energy across the field, and it collided with Minun's Shock Wave. The two attacks exploded, creating smoke to fill the stage.

Suddenly, Cacturne and Shiftry appeared from the smoke, Cacturne's arm glowing purple and Shiftry with his arms crossed. The swiped down at Torchic and Minun, but once they connected, Yurie's Pokémon disappeared.

"Double Team?!" Mayumi screamed.

"Flying Electro Slash!" Yurie instructed.

"She's naming her attacks?" Yuta questioned. He gagged a little bit. "What a moron…"

Torchic and Minun came soaring down from the air. Torchic held a ball of electricity in his talons, and the two came crashing down onto Shiftry and Cacturne. The two duos of Pokémon divided. All of them were heavily injured.

"Let's use our new move! Flamebolt!" Yurie instructed.

Yuta groaned.

Torchic and Minun stood side by side. They glanced at one another and then nodded. Torchic took in a deep breath and then unleashed flames onto the field. Minun followed by using Thunderbolt, electrifying the flames. The attack raced across the stage, engulfing Shiftry and Cacturne completely. The two Grass-type Pokémon howled as the attack damaged them. Once the attack stopped, the buzzer sounded, and it was over.

Everyone looked up at the screen, and the crowd started to cheer. The time was up, and Mayumi was left with only a sliver of points left while Yurie had a good ten percent.

"The winner of the Spring Sootopolis Contest and moving onto the Hoenn Grand Festival is Kawahara Yurie from Littleroot Town!" the announcer yelled.

The crowd continued to cheer while Mayumi returned her Pokémon. She grinned at Yurie who went to meet her Pokémon on the stage.

"We did it! We did it!" Yurie cried out while she held her Pokémon. "I can't believe it! But we did it!"

"You did wonderful today, Yurie," a voice called. She turned to find Adan holding onto the black and white ribbon. "I'm happy to present you today with the Spring Sootopolis Ribbon."

Yurie stood up. She could feel herself welling up, but she held back tears. "Thank you."

Adan handed over the ribbon and then held Yurie's hand up high.

"Everyone, your winner: Kawahara Yurie!" Adan announced. The crowd cheered once more.

* * *

"Kanpai!" the group called out as they clanged their glasses of cola together. They all took drinks and then smiled at one another.

"I'm surprised, Yurie. I never saw you getting this far," Yuta said with a cocky grin.

"Well, I guess it just goes to show that you can't judge a book by it's cover!" she replied.

Yuta shook his head. "That doesn't apply here. You're still a bit dim."

"This means that we may get to battle each other in the grand festival!" Michika said. "I'm so excited!"

Yurie nodded. "This time, I refuse to lose!"

Himawari looked outside as rain started to pelt against the window. "Ah, man. I guess this means that we can't have the barbecue…"

"It wasn't supposed to rain today," Michika muttered while she checked the news.

Logan laughed. "Something that I learned a long time ago is that you can never trust the weather report!"

The group all laughed.

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

Maxie slowly approached a lake of lava that the group had found inside of Mt. Meteor. Sitting in the middle of the lake was a giant figure made of stone.

"We've done it," Tabitha said in disbelief.

"We've found Groudon," Courtney added.

Maxie nodded and held up an orb that glowed red. "Groudon, today, we will change Hoenn forever. Today, we will start our revolution. Groudon and Team Magma together will change the world!"

The orb began to glow brighter and the figure in the middle of the lake started to shake and crack.

"Groudon, awaken!"

* * *

"Kyogre! Lend me your strength!" Archie called out. He held in his hand a glowing blue orb.

The giant figure that rested before him started to stir. The stone began to peel and fall from its body, and it roared, shaking the frozen cavern than Team Aqua had discovered. The yellow lines on the Pokémon started to glow, and the Pokémon's eyes focused on the ball of blue energy.

"I can't believe we've found Kyogre," Shelley muttered.

Matt nodded. "Soon, we'll change the Hoenn region for the better."

Archie laughed. "Let's begin, my new friend!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

And so concludes Part 1 of Healing in Hoenn (277 pages). The rest of Hoenn will be a little bit intense.

Next few chapters will be the Groudon/Kyogre Arc. I'm going to reintroduce a lot of characters (gym leaders), and they'll all be lengthy chapters.

Any quick predictions for how our group will handle Team Aqua and Magma?


	45. The Sootopolis Summit

**Chapter 45 - The Sootopolis Summit**

* * *

The two legendary Pokémon roared, and Kyogre released a bright beam of light. Groudon was able to narrowly maneuver around the beam, and it continued towards Logan's island. With a loud explosion, trees were tossed into the air. Logan looked up, but before he could move, a part of the debris smacked him in the face. He fell back and tried to catch his breath.

He couldn't move, and he lost feeling in his legs. The blast had slightly deafened him for one moment, and the only noise he could hear was a loud ringing. He looked down noticing that one of the trees that was destroyed was now laying on his right leg. Suddenly, his senses came flowing back, and pain shot through his body.

Logan screamed as he tried to move, but he was trapped. He bit onto his thumb to try to force the pain to a different spot and then attempted to move, but it was useless. The tree was too heavy.

"Help!" he yelled out. "I can't move!"

But nobody could hear him.

* * *

**Five Hours Earlier**

"Reports of extreme weather all around Hoenn are coming in. We would like to advise you to stay indoors at all costs. Please be aware of your local evacuation centers, and please stay available for directions from officials," the weather lady warned on the television.

"This insane rain is everywhere in Hoenn?" Himawari said while he sat back in the booth at the Pokémon Center. "It's not even rainy season yet."

Yurie took a seat next to Michika. "I just received a phone call from my mom, and apparently it's incredibly hot in Littleroot Town. She said that all of the flowers have suddenly wilted."

"So, it's not just rain," Logan mumbled.

"Excuse me!" Nurse Joy said while approaching their table. "Is anyone here Logan Stephenson?"

Logan raised his hand. "That'd be me."

"I received a message from Professor Birch. He said that it's urgent, and he needs you to call him," she said.

Logan nodded and then ran to the phone. The group followed him. He dialed Professor Birch's number. Professor Birch quickly picked up. He was wearing a wife beater that was drenched in sweat.

"Logan! Thank goodness you're okay!" he said. He looked at the trainers. "I can see that Yurie, Yuta, and Michika are with you too."

"And Himawari," Himawari added.

"We're fine. It's a little rainy is all," Logan responded.

"Where are you?"

"We're in Sootopolis City. I have a gym battle coming up," Logan exclaimed.

"It may have to wait. These weather patterns aren't normal, and I fear that the Hoenn region may not be safe right now," he said.

"What do you mean?" Logan asked.

Tania pushed her way into the frame. "Do you know the legends of Groudon and Kyogre?"

Yuta got closer. "The legendary Pokémon of Hoenn?" he asked.

"I can't confirm my theory, but I think that these strange weather patterns are linked to them somehow. The legends said that when they were awakened, they would cause drastic changes in the weather which lead to the deaths of many people and Pokémon in Hoenn. It rained nonstop in certain areas while other areas were burdened with a drought," she said. "This is, of course, just a legend."

"But legends come from somewhere," Yuta muttered.

Birch pushed himself back into the frame. "I just wanted to make sure that you're okay. If you're in Sootopolis, then you should be fine, but please don't leave the Pokémon Center. Worst case scenario, the gym leaders and Elite Four will handle it, but let's just hope that it's bad weather for the time being."

"We'll stay inside!" Yurie said. "I don't like the rain anyways!"

"Good!" Birch said. "We'll contact you if anything else comes up!" With that, he hung up the phone.

The group all looked at one another, and they sat back down. Yurie looked at the window as it was pelted with rain.

"Groudon and Kyogre," Yuta mumbled. "If it is them, then things could get intense. They're bitter rivals, and it's said that they make Hoenn their personal battleground."

Michika sank into her seat. "This is a little scary, guys."

A device in Himawari's pocket rang, and he pulled it out. "It's a message from Gramps. It looks like he's coming to Sootopolis along with all of the other gym leaders. They're gonna hold a summit."

"A summit?" Logan asked.

"And he wants lunch."

"If they're holding a summit, then this has to mean something," Yuta said. "It's not the offseason yet, so they should have no reason to gather."

"Why can't he just bring his own lunch?"

The Pokémon Center doors slid open and two hooded figures walked in. They noisily walked to the counter and talked with Nurse Joy. One of the figures removed their hood, revealing a familiar face.

"Mao!" Logan shouted. He ran to the counter to meet his old friend. He noticed that the other hooded figure was the Rustboro Gym Leader, Roxanne. "I assume you're here for the summit?"

The two looked at each other. "It's kind of a secret, but yes," Mao said. "What are you doing here?"

"Eventual gym battle. Last gym badge!"

"I'm not surprised," Mao said with a laugh. She looked at Roxanne. "Tsutsuji, I don't think it could hurt to have Logan and his friends join the summit. If it comes down to it, they could help us, and I know that Logan can handle a legendary Pokémon."

"So, it is Groudon and Kyogre?" Logan whispered. Mao nodded. "We'll join you."

The group all moved to a private room in the Pokémon Center, and they took their seats. One by one, the other gym leaders appeared. Tessen sat next to Himawari, happy to see his grandson again. Eventually, every seat at the large table was full. There were some people that Logan had yet to meet, but they appeared to be strong trainers. One was an older man with a long black jacket and a captain's hat. The other was a woman with blonde hair and a light purple dress.

Sootopolis's Gym Leader, Adan, appeared and stood in front. The group got quiet.

"Everyone, I'd like to begin the Sootopolis Summit," he said. "I'm going to get right to it, because time is of the essence. It is believed that Groudon and Kyogre have reawakened. This has come at an unexpected time, and we need to take action immediately."

Tessen stood up. "It is our duty to protect Hoenn, and I say that we need to search out and find these legendary Pokémon. Maybe we can find out why they've woken up."

"And what do you say we do if they attack us?" Touki asked. His Hariyama stood right behind him and cracked his knuckles. "These are the strongest Pokémon in all of Hoenn."

"We'll go in teams, and we'll try not to get attacked," Senri added. "And my Slaking has enough power to take on a legendary."

"Can I say something?" Logan asked suddenly. The group quieted down and looked at him.

"And who might you be?" Adan asked. "I recognize your friends, but I don't know you."

"This is Logan. He's challenging the Hoenn league, and he's one of the strongest trainers I know," Mao said. She grinned at Logan.

Logan nervously stood up. "So, I've been trying to put it altogether over the past hour or so, but I think I know who may be behind this. There are two groups that my friends and I have come across throughout Hoenn. They called themselves Team Magma and Team Aqua, and I have a feeling they have something to do with this. I remember them mentioning the legendary Pokémon."

"They both have these orbs, which they said they'd use to expand the land or the sea, depending on what team we're talking about," Himawari added. "It's kind of starting to come together now. We were reassured that the Elite Four would handle the problem though, so we didn't say anything."

The man in the captain's hat shot a look at the woman with the purple dress. They smiled.

"I've been keeping tabs on Team Aqua myself, and I think what Logan says is true. We have to find these two groups and stop them. That may be our best chance," Yuta said. The group got quiet and stared at one another.

The door opened and a familiar face, Steven, walked in. He looked at the group. "Don't mind me. I was waiting for a time to come in and not be rude. I could hear what you're saying, and I think I agree with our young trainer friends."

"Steven…" Logan muttered.

"Steven?" Adan asked. "Where is Wallace?"

"He's gathering the other two members of the Elite Four," Steven said while motioning over to the two trainers Logan did not recognize. "For the time being, he put me in charge of what we do here."

"What do you propose we do?" the man asked.

"I want to split into four teams. One will be headed by me, another by Genji, the third by Prim, and the fourth by you, Adan," Steven said. He motioned over to the two Elite Four members.

"Why four teams?" Adan asked. He began to mess with his pencil thin mustache nervously.

"Two teams will go after Groudon and Kyogre directly. The team that I lead will go to Dewford. I have a hunch that they're going to hunt after something there, and the fourth team will try to find Rayquaza."

"Rayquaza?" Yuta mumbled. The others in the group all whispered amongst themselves.

Steven nodded. "The legend states that Rayquaza is the only being that can calm the two. If we can find Rayquaza and convince it to join us, then maybe we can calm them down if worse comes to worst. Genji, you'll be heading there with your team."

The man with the captain's hat and the long jacket stood up. He grinned. "I'll ready my ship."

Logan looked at Steven. "I want to help. This won't be my first time dealing with legendary Pokémon, and I'd like to help."

Yurie stood up. "Me too! I live here, so I don't want to see it get ruined!"

Steven looked at the young trainers and sighed. "Okay, but do as your team captain says."

The group split off into four teams, and they quickly left the Pokémon Center. Genji and his team boarded a boat while the other teams got in individual helicopters. They all left Sootopolis City.

"So, what are we hunting after?" Yurie asked Steven. Their group was only Yurie, Steven, and Dewford Gym Leader, Touki.

"Do you remember when we met in Granite Cave?" he asked, and she nodded in response. "Well, I was doing research there about the mega stones, because there are an abundance there, and my fear is that Team Magma or Aqua could go there to steal them. We need to get there before they do."

* * *

"All of our information is indicating that Groudon is in a place called Terra Cave, which is near Meteor Falls," Adan said as his group was lifted into the air. "It's gonna get hot."

Logan and Michika groaned. Their group consisted of Adan, Logan, Michika, Lavaridge's Asuna, and the twins, Fu and Lan.

"I can handle it!" Asuna exclaimed. Her eyes lit up.

* * *

"Our destination is Marine Cave, which is just north of Mossdeep City," Prim said. "I'm fairly familiar with the area. It may get cold."

Yuta and Mao looked at each other. This group was Elite Four member, Prim, Yuta, Mao, Petalburg's Senri, and Fortree's Nagi.

"I'm a big fan," Yuta said quietly to Mao. "I'm very excited to battle alongside you."

Mao smiled. "Thank you!"

* * *

Himawari hung over the edge of the ship while he threw up. "I hate the ocean…"

Tessen smacked his back. "Get inside, Himawari! You'll catch a cold out here in the rain!"

The two returned to the inside of the ship where Roxanne and Genji sat.

"Genji here is a master of Dragon-types, so it's good that we're partnering up with him," Tessen said.

"It's nice to meet you," Himawari said while he drank some water.

"Tsutsuji, Genji, this is my grandson! And come next season, he's going to be the Mauville City Gym Leader!" Tessen said proudly.

Roxanne smiled. "Well, we'll just have to make sure that there is still a Hoenn region if that's the case."

* * *

It only took about an hour, but Steven and his team landed in Dewford City next to Granite Cave. They quickly entered, and Steven handed his team flashlights. They scanned the area while Steven walked forward. He knew the path very well, and it was hard for Yurie to keep up. They soon entered into a room that was lit up with bright lights, and two people were already standing in the middle of the room. They were glaring at one another, but when they noticed the new group, they turned to face them.

"Stop right there!" Yurie yelled. She recognized one as the tubby Team Magma member, and the other person was the tall, muscular, and shirtless Team Aqua member.

Steven stepped forward. "Whatever it is you're planning, we have to ask you to stop."

Tabitha sighed. "First I'm getting it from this Team Aqua filth, and now you guys?"

"It's too late," Matt said. "We've figured out the stones, and we'll soon harness their power to change Hoenn to our liking." He held a black and blue stone in his hand, and he stuffed it into his pocket before pulling out a Poké Ball.

"I doubt that you want to do that," Steven said. He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt.

"Matt, I understand that you don't like me, and I don't like you, but I think it'd be in our best interests to team up for the time being," Tabitha said.

"Fine!" Matt yelled while throwing his Poké Ball into the air. A giant Pokémon with two big pinsirs appeared.

Tabitha threw his own Poké Ball onto the field, and Pokémon made of lava with a giant rock on his back materialized.

"Metagross, go!" Steven called while he released his Pokémon.

"Hariyama, let's help!" Touki said. His Pokémon appeared and then stretched.

Pokémon from the cave began to collect. They watched curiously.

"Crawdaunt, Crabhammer!"

"Magcargo, Flamethrower!"

"Metagross, use Meteor Mash!"

"Reversal, Hariyama!"

The Pokémon all started to use their attacks. Metagross swung its giant arms into the flames that burst from Magcargo's mouth while Crawdaunt and Makuhita clashed with one another.

* * *

"All of the energy from Groudon is coming from here," Adan said while he checked the device in the helicopter. There was a blinking spot on the map of Hoenn over the mountainous area. The rain had stopped, and now the sun shone down onto the trainers. Logan was drenched in sweat and drank from a liter-sized water bottle.

"I'm used to working in the heat, but will you be able to handle it?" Asuna asked. Logan nodded. "Let's go!"

The helicopter landed, and the group quickly exited. They ran to the entrance of Meteor Falls, and they noticed that the waterfall and river that usually poured from the cave had dried up. The group entered and followed Asuna.

"I've been here a few times before. I know that there is a nearby lake of lava, and as dangerous as it is, that's probably where they are," she said.

"Logan, I don't know if I can do this," Michika muttered. She grabbed Logan's arm and then stopped walking.

Logan smiled at her. "You don't have to battle if you don't feel safe, but having a familiar face here calms me down."

Michika looked at the ground. "O-okay."

The group continued, and they soon reached the entrance to the lake of lava that Asuna had referred to. Heat emitted from the entrance, blowing back the trainers slightly. Asuna forced herself to the top and then looked out.

"Sure enough, Groudon is here, and there's a small group of people too," she said.

Logan climbed to the top and looked out at the lake of lava. In the middle stood one of the biggest Pokémon he had ever seen. It was giant, red, and had lines of yellow light streaked across its body. In front of the lake of lava stood Maxie with two grunts and the small hooded Magma Member with purple hair.

"What's our plan?" Michika asked.

"I'm confident in our ability to take out Team Magma," Fu said.

"But what about Groudon?" Lan added.

Adan looked out at Team Magma. "Michika, Fu, Lan, and Logan, I want you to focus on Team Magma. Asuna and myself will try to calm down Groudon. We'll figure something out."

"Got it," the twins said in unison. They ran off and soon disappeared.

"Michika, come with me," Logan said. He grabbed her hand and then ran the opposite direction.

"Calm down Groudon?" Asuna mumbled.

* * *

"You're going to want these," Prim told the group while handing them jackets.

Yuta put his on. "What about you?"

Prim smiled. "Not necessary."

"I'd expect nothing less from an Elite Four member."

The group exited their helicopter and walked over to a cave that was north of Mossdeep City. The land was made of ice, and the heavy rain had turned to snow. The group quickly entered into the cave, and Prim handed them all flashlights. They lit the cave with them, and it was very quiet. The only noise that they could hear was water dripping from the ceiling.

"You sure this is where Kyogre is at?" Nagi asked.

"It does seem awfully quiet," Senri added.

Prim nodded. "Our machine indicated as such. It could have been wrong, but we should stay alert."

"It's too late!" a voice boomed. The group frantically moved their flashlights to illuminate their path. They looked upwards to find Archie and his group of Team Aqua grunts surrounding them. "We've got Kyogre, and our revolution will start today!"

The group all turned their backs to one another and then backed up into each other.

"Archie, Shelley, and then two grunts," Yuta said. "If the past is any indication, the grunts will be easy. Shelley and Archie won't be."

"You really do know your stuff," Prim said.

"Plan?" Mao asked quietly.

"Mao, Senri, and Nagi, I want you to take them on. Create a diversion. Yuta and I will continue on and find Kyogre," Prim whispered.

"You got it!" Senri said while he released his Slaking.

"Count on us!" Nagi exclaimed. Altaria burst from her Poké Ball.

Mao's Serperior appeared. "This shouldn't take us very long."

* * *

"We've arrived," Genji said. "Legends say that it is here at Sky Pillar where Rayquaza sleeps. He's supposedly at the top, and there are a lot of powerful Pokémon here that will defend him, so we have to be careful."

The group exited the ship and then ran to the front entrance of Sky Pillar. It was blocked off by a giant stone wall.

"No problem," Genji said. "Go, Salamence! Use Dragon Claw!" His Pokémon burst from its ball, and it slashed at the stone wall. The wall instantly crumbled, creating an entrance for the trainers.

"Let's hurry in!" Tessen exclaimed.

Himawari looked towards the top. The pillar continued upwards past the clouds. "We're in for a long run…"

The group entered, and Genji turned to them. "We have to-"

Suddenly, a Pokémon came from the ceiling and swang using its web towards the Elite Four member.

"Kolink, Ice Fang!" Himawari yelled while releasing his Pokémon.

Himawari's Luxio appeared and quickly latched onto the attacking Pokémon. Ice appeared over the Pokémon, and it collapsed to the ground.

"-stay alert," Genji finished. "Thank you, Himawari."

"Let's get going! It's time for grandpa to get in some cardio!"

Roxanne sighed. "Your grandpa is more energetic than most of my students."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Part 1 of 3 of the Groudon/Kyogre Arc. It's going to get pretty intense in the upcoming two chapters. I'm still kind of debating how intense I want to get, but I kind of want to push myself as a writer. Also, I'm sort of marking this as the beginning of "Part 2" of Healing in Hoenn. The main difference will be in chapter names, I guess. A lot more action too.

Here's a quick guide, because I know that names can be confusing.

Tsutsuji - Roxanne (often referred to as Roxanne)

Touki - Brawly

Tessen - Watson (Himawari's grandpa)

Asuna - Flannery

Senri - Norman

Nagi - Winona

Fu and Lan - Tate and Liz

Adan - Juan

Prim - Glacia

Genji - Drake


	46. Rush! Save the Primal Pokémon

**Chapter 46 - Rush! Save the Primal Pokémon!**

* * *

Metagross swung one of its arms and smashed it into Magcargo. The Fire-type fell back as Hariyama grabbed a hold of one of Crawdaunt's large pincers and then tossed him. The two Pokémon looked back at their trainers and waited for instructions.

"We won't be able to beat them head on," Matt exclaimed.

Tabitha looked around at all of the Pokémon that had gathered. "Then we'll have to take another route. Crawdaunt, Hydro Pump the ceiling!"

"Fire Blast!" Matt yelled.

The two Pokémon pointed their attacks towards the ceiling of the cave. They fired off their powerful blasts, making the entire cavern shake. Stones and rubble began to fall towards the wild Pokémon.

"Not good! Metagross, use Psychic!"

Metagross focused his energy and stopped some of the stones from falling with his psychic powers.

"Save them with Arm Thrust!"

Hariyama leapt through the air. He began to swing his arms around, smashing and destroying the stones easily.

"Aggron, we need your help!" Yurie said while she threw her Luxury Ball into the mix. Aggron appeared and roared. He turned back towards Yurie and glared. "Please, help us!" He huffed.

"Crabhammer!" Matt ordered.

The Crawdaunt jumped into the air. He swung his claw and smashed it into Aggron, making the Pokémon keel over. Aggron quickly stood back up and glared at Crawdaunt. He then started to charge forward.

"Nuh-uh-uh," Matt said. He pointed towards a group of Aron and Lairon that had made their way to the cave to watch. Crawdaunt opened his pincer and then pointed it at the Steel-types. "One wrong move, and they get destroyed."

"Flamethrower!" Tabitha commanded.

His Pokémon opened his mouth and unleashed a stream of flames at Aggron. The Steel-type was engulfed in flames and roared from the pain.

"Stop!" Yurie said. She ran out to Aggron once the attack stopped. She stood in front of him and opened her arms wide. "Stop this now" Torchic stood in front of her and glared at Magcargo. She quickly grabbed her remaining Poké Balls and released her other Pokémon. They stood (and floated) around Aggron in a circle.

"Your Pokémon are cute, but they stand no chance against mine," Tabitha said.

"Aren't your a little contest girl? What are you even doing here?" Matt asked.

"I'm here to stop you!" Yurie yelled.

"Yurie," Steven muttered. He had been focusing on the falling rocks.

"Well," Matt said.

"You tried!" Tabitha added.

Their Pokémon turned towards Yurie. They unleashed their strongest attacks at her and her Pokémon. Aggron suddenly forced his way in front of his comrades. A blue energy came from his body, and Crawdaunt and Magcargo's attacks dissipated upon contact.

"Protect!" Yurie gasped. Aggron looked back at her and smiled. "Good! Torchic, Flamethrower! Masquerain, Bubblebeam! Minun, Shock Wave! Shuppet, Shadow Ball!" Aggron lowered his head. "And Aggron, Iron Head!"

The Pokémon all used their long-ranged attacks while Aggron bounded forward. Yurie picked up Turtwig so she would not be in any danger and held her close. The attacks engulfed Tabitha and Matt's Pokémon, and then Aggron smashed his body against them. Magcargo and Crawdaunt fainted as they collapsed to the ground. Aggron then glared at the Team Magma and Aqua members.

Tabitha and Matt looked at one another while the cavern continued to crumble in on itself.

"I've gotten what I came for," Tabitha said.

"Me too."

The two lifted their hands into the air and threw down two balls. Smoke exploded from the balls and filled the cavern. When the smoke cleared, they had disappeared, and the cavern slowly stopped shaking.

"They got away," Touki noted. Hariyama collapsed as it hit one more stone with his palm.

Steven returned Metagross to its ball. "We were too late, and as much as I don't want to admit this, they outsmarted us. Yurie, you did great."

"What's next?" Touki asked. He rubbed Hariyama's back.

"I want you to stay here and take care of the Pokémon in the cave. They could also very well come back," Steven said. "Yurie and I will try to meet with the others."

Yurie looked at Aggron who stared longingly at the group of Lairon and Aron. Tears began to form in his eyes. "Aggron, if you want to go back to your group, then now is your chance. You're very strong now, so I'm sure they'll take you back!" Yurie said. She turned away from her Pokémon. "And you'll probably be better off without me."

Aggron turned towards her. He paused and looked at her and her Pokémon.

"Torchic!" the Fire-type said with a smile on his face.

"Ag-gron…"

* * *

"Maxie, I've received contact from Tabitha. He ran into some trouble, but was able to get the stone and device built," the purple haired Team Magma member said.

"Thank you, Courtney," Maxie responded. "Soon, we'll bring Groudon back to its original form, and then we'll complete our duties."

"Solrock-"

"Lunatone-"

"Stone Edge!" the twins ordered in unison.

Their Pokémon appeared and then used their energy together. They lifted small stones from the ground and shot them towards the Team Magma members.

"Mightyena, go!" the two grunts ordered. Their Pokémon appeared and then were immediately pelted with stones.

"Barbaric. How dare you attack us," Maxie snapped.

"What you're going to do is a lot worse," Fu yelled.

"Mightyena, use Snarl!" the grunts ordered.

Their Pokémon stepped forward and dark energy formed in their mouths. They released the dark energy, and it exploded on Solrock and Lunatone.

"Weak," Maxie muttered. "And you should just reveal yourselves." He turned to where Logan and Michika hid. "We're not going to fall for another sneak attack."

Logan and Michika slowly stood up. They walked down towards the lake of lava. Logan never took his eyes off of Maxie. Michika slowly followed Logan, careful not to make a wrong step. She had her hand in a vice-like grip on Logan's blue shirt.

"It's good to see you again," Maxie said. "You'll now get a front row seat to a different, better Hoenn."

"You're insane," Logan said. He looked up at Groudon. The Pokémon stood still, but energy radiated from his body.

Michika looked down at Piplup. "Please be careful!"

Piplup puffed out her chest confidently. "Piplup!"

Logan released Swampert. "We'll team up and take them down with no issue."

"I'd like to see you try!" Maxie yelled. "Courtney, let's go!"

Suddenly, Maxie's Camerupt and Courtney's Ninetales appeared on the field.

"We have the advantage!" Logan yelled. "Muddy Water, Swampert!"

"Bubblebeam!"

The two Pokémon began their attacks. Swampert blasted brown water from his mouth while Piplup unleashed a flurry of bubbles, but almost as soon as the attacks were released, the water evaporated into thin air.

"What?" Michika gasped.

Maxie laughed and looked at Groudon. "Only a mere sample of Groudon's power."

The two Water-types began to breathe heavily, and Logan took notice.

"They can't fight in this kind of environment," he said. He returned Swampert while Michika recalled Piplup. "We're gonna need something else."

Michika looked at her next Poké Ball. "I think this may be my only option. Go, Absol!"

"Vibrava, let's do this!"

The two Pokémon appeared on the field. They immediately groaned from the heat and looked back at their trainers.

"We'll make this quick," Logan said. "Let's do our best."

"Flamethrower!" the two Team Magma members ordered.

"Dragon Breath!"

"Razor Wind!"

The four Pokémon unleashed their attacks, causing a small explosion of smoke to fill the cavern.

"Iron Tail!" Courtney's voice called.

"Earth Power!" Maxie yelled.

Through the smoke, a giant stone exploded and fell right towards Vibrava. Ninetales followed the stone, twisting her body and readying to strike with her multiple tails.

"Dodge it!" Logan and Michika yelled.

Both of their Pokémon jumped backwards, letting Ninetales and the stone crash into the ground.

"Stand back!" Logan yelled out. "Earthquake!"

Absol and Michika retreated a little bit as Vibrava jumped into the air and charged energy within her feet. She then slammed down into the ground, causing the floor to start moving, and the cavern shook. Ninetales was tossed into the air, but Camerupt appeared unphased.

"Night Slash!" Michika ordered.

Her Absol darted towards the airborne Ninetales and then jumped into the air. She slashed with her front claws, filled with a dark energy, making Ninetales fly into the ground. The Fire-type recovered and growled at Absol.

"Ninetales, use your Fire Blast!" Courtney ordered.

Ninetales ran forward as fire bellowed from her mouth.

"Thunderbolt!"

Absol charged up her energy and then unleashed electricity onto the field. The electricity and fire connected, but the fire easily won out, quickly engulfing Absol.

"Eruption!" Maxie commanded.

Camerupt's eyes started to glow red, and the ground started to shake. Fire exploded from the ground below Vibrava and Absol, sending both of them into the air. Absol landed with a hard thud and fell unconscious, but Vibrava was able to stay airborne due to her flying capabilities.

Michika returned Absol and then turned to Logan. "I'm sorry."

"I got this! Give them your strongest Bug Buzz!" Logan ordered.

Vibrava grinned and then shook her head. She darted towards the ground, and instead of using Bug Buzz, she began to generate energy with her wings that she shot forward. Ninetales stood in front of Camerupt to block the energy, but was blasted away.

"Boomburst!" Logan called out. "Awesome! It's about time!"

"Ninetales, use one more Iron Tail!" Courtney commanded.

Ninetales recovered and then ran forward. She jumped into the air and then twisted her body, attempting to slam her multiple tails into Vibrava.

"Dodge! Then Dragonbreath!" Logan called out.

Vibrava jumped back as Ninetales slammed her attack into the ground. She then unleashed blue flames from her mouth, engulfing the Fire-type Pokémon. Ninetales rolled back and fell into a slump. Courtney huffed and then returned her Pokémon.

"We did it!" Logan cheered.

"Vibrava!" the Pokémon cried out before suddenly starting to glow. Her body morphed and grew, and eventually, a new Pokémon, standing on two legs materialized before Logan. It was green in color with two giant wings and a long tail. "Flygon!" she cried.

Logan stared in shock. "Flygon… I've always wanted a Flygon…"

"Your Pokémon evolved just in time to be a hero," Maxie said with a laugh. "But it means nothing. My Camerupt is too strong."

Logan grinned. "I don't think so! Flygon, hit 'em with your Hyper Beam!"

"Fire Blast!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their mighty attacks, and they clashed in the middle of their makeshift battlefield. The two Pokémon did not give up, and began to walk forward, increasing the energy that they put into their attacks.

"Eruption!" Maxie shouted.

Camerupt quickly let go of his attack and then focused his energy, making the ground below Flygon explode with fire. Flygon soared into the air to avoid the attack, but the effects of using Hyper Beam made her sluggish.

"Earth Power!" Maxie commanded.

Camerupt's eyes started to glow red once more, and he ripped a giant stone from the earth and tossed it into the air.

Flygon easily avoided the attacking, indicating that she had her energy back.

"Give 'em your strongest Boomburst!"

Flygon started to absorb energy in her wings and then shot white energy towards the ground. The energy blasted against Camerupt, making him fall back a few feet.

"Maxie!" a voice called.

Everyone stopped their battling, and they all turned to where the voice came from. The small and tubby Team Magma appeared. He ran to Maxie while breathing heavily.

"I-I've brought you… the stone…" he said through breaths. He handed over a small red and brown stone.

Maxie held it in his hand and started to laugh. He lifted his arm into the air and put the stone into a bracelet that was fastened around his wrist. "Now, you truly stand no chance. Behold, the power of Mega Evolution!"

"What?" Logan and Michika yelled.

Maxie pushed onto the stone, and it began to glow. Suddenly, the air around Camerupt started to stir, and it formed a ball of energy around his entire body. The entire cavern shook as the ball exploded, revealing Camerupt's new form. The Pokémon stood before them with one giant hump that leaked a lava-like substance. It grinned at Flygon with an evil smile.

"Mega Evolution," Logan muttered. "I can feel its energy."

* * *

Yuta and Prim ran through the icy cavern as the sounds of battle could be heard echoing off of the walls. They eventually started to slow down when they reached an open area with a blue light coming from it. They entered slowly, peeking their heads around the corner to find a giant Pokémon with yellow light emitting from its body floating peacefully in a small lake.

"That's not a Wailord," Yuta muttered.

Prim nodded. "Let's go."

The two walked slowly downwards and to the edge of the lake where the Pokémon rested. Although it was clearly awake, they could not tell if it was staring at them or not. Yuta slowly raised his arm and stuck out its hand. The Pokémon bobbed up and down a little bit, making Yuta retreat his hand.

"Don't get to close," a voice called.

The two turned to find Archie standing near the entrance that they came through. In one arm he held Mao.

"Kyogre food," he said with a grin.

"What are your plans?" Prim asked. She pulled a Poké Ball from the inside of her blouse.

Archie slowly started to make his way down the walkway while holding the struggling Mao. "I'm tired of talking. I'm tired of having to reason with people. We're going to make more room for Water-type Pokémon. This is something that you should understand, Prim."

Prim scowled. "I love Pokémon of all kinds. Your idea is insane."

Archie grabbed a Poké Ball with his other hand and held it close. With one quick movement, he lifted Mao and tossed her into the lake. Kyogre began to lightly stir.

"Hope he's hungry," Archie said.

"Mao!" Yuta yelled out. He ran to the lake and then dove in. The water was freezing cold, and it felt as though his skin was constantly being bitten or torn apart.

Kyogre roared, and the ground below Prim and Archie started to crack. In between them, a small opening was made, and water poured, creating a flowing river.

"Sharpedo, go!" Archie called while throwing his ball into the river. A large blue and black Pokémon exploded from the Poké Ball. It noticed Yuta and Mao struggling in the water and darted forward.

"Walrein!" Prim yelled while throwing her own Poké Ball. Her giant light blue Pokémon appeared in the water in between Sharpedo and the trainers.

Yuta held onto Mao tightly and began his slow swim towards the edge of the river. He lifted her and then pulled himself up. Both of them shivered from the freezing cold. Yuta checked Mao's pulse. She was still okay.

"So, cold," she muttered.

"We'll get you someplace warm," Yuta said with a kind smile.

"Not likely," Archie exclaimed. "Crunch!"

Sharpedo was too quick for Walrein to catch him. He jumped out of the water and opened his large jaws, forming a black energy in front of them. Yuta turned and watched as the Pokémon approached him and Mao. He quickly lifted his Poké Ball, and with a flash of light, Sceptile appeared. The two Pokémon clashed, and Sharpedo retreated back into the water.

"Ice Beam!" Prim ordered. She turned to Yuta. "Make sure Mao is okay!"

Yuta nodded. He reached into his bag and opened it. Everything on the inside was drenched, but he pulled out his towel, rang out the water, and then started to dry off Mao's face to the best of his abilities.

Under the water, Walrein unleashed a jagged beam of ice. Sharpedo easily moved around it and then charged forward. He clamped his dark energy onto Walrein, sending the Pokémon backwards. The two crashed into the walls of the river, making more of the ground crack. Water overflowed, and Yuta picked up Mao to move her to a dryer location.

"Hydro Pump!" Archie commanded.

Sharpedo emerged from the water once more and shot a massive burst of water from his mouth. The water connected directly with Sceptile, sending the Grass-type backwards.

"Leaf Blade!" Yuta yelled.

Sceptile jumped forward while the leaves on his arms extended into a bright green energy. He slashed at Sharpedo, but the Water-type dove back into the water. He emerged for one more second and grabbed onto Sceptile's leg, dragging him down.

"Sceptile!" Yuta yelled.

"Ice Fang!" Prim ordered.

Her giant Pokémon swam forward and latched his giant jaws onto Sharpedo, forcing him to let go of Sceptile. Sceptile took this opportunity and swung low, slashing Sharpedo with his blades. He then started to swim upwards again, but his abilities in the water were not great.

"Your Pokémon ain't bad, kid," Archie said. "But he's no Water-type! Night Slash!"

Sharpedo used its rough skin to break free of Walrein's tight grip. He then swam forward, and dark energy started to surround him. He swiped upwards at Sceptile, knocking the Grass-type out of the water. Sceptile landed hard on the ground, but he forced himself to stand back up even though he was shaking violently.

Suddenly, the roof of the cavern started to shake, and a loud exploding noise could be heard from the other side. The ceiling burst open, letting in the snow from the outside, and a large muscular teenager appeared.

Archie smiled. "Matt! It's good to see you!"

Matt grinned as he descended from a rope. He held a small black and yellow stone in his hand. "Got what you wanted, boss."

Archie waved, and Matt tossed the small stone towards him. He caught it and held it in between his fingers.

"Sharpedonite!" he announced. "Now you stand no chance!" He put the stone into the bracelet that was fastened to his wrist and then pushed on it. Energy surged throughout the cavern, and the area around Sharpedo started to warp. The water began to swirl, and soon, Sharpedo was surrounded by a ball of energy. It exploded, revealing a new Sharpedo, now with a long nose and spikes protruding from its body.

"Mega Evolution?" Yuta wondered.

"Beautiful!" Archie cried out. "Absolutely beautiful! Sharpedo, use Crunch!"

Sharpedo shot forward as the dark energy formed in front of his mouth. He clamped down onto Walrein, and then easily lifted the Pokémon, forcing both of them out of the water. With one swift movement, he tossed Walrein out of the water. Walrein smashed against a nearby wall and then slumped to the ground. Sharpedo then sank back into the water, only his eyes could be seen.

"Aqua Jet!" Archie ordered.

Sharpedo exploded from the water and then shot towards Sceptile.

"Giga Drain!" Yuta yelled.

The two Pokémon collided, and Sceptile began to sap energy, but Archie was too quick.

"Crunch!" he ordered.

Once again, the dark energy surrounded Sharpedo's jaws, and he snapped them shut around Sceptile's body. Sceptile shrieked, and Sharpedo let go, quickly retreating back into the water.

Yuta looked at Archie, who was marveling at his bracelet and the stone.

"I got it," he muttered. "Target the stone! Use Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile nodded and then started to dash towards Archie. He lifted up his arms to swipe, but then Sharpedo exploded from the water once more.

"Leaf... Storm!" Mao managed to yell.

Her Pokémon appeared from seemingly out of nowhere and created a quick whirlwind of leaves. The leaves collided with Sharpedo and sent him back into the water. Sceptile then jumped over the serpentine Pokémon and swiped at the stone, hitting it directly. The stone shattered, and there was a sudden feeling of lost energy throughout the cavern.

"No!" Archie yelled. He pulled the bracelet off and threw it at the ground. "No! How could you?!"

"We're saving Hoenn!" Yuta snapped.

Sharpedo appeared from the water, now in his normal form. He looked up at Serperior and Sceptile and then slowly sank back down, understanding that he was beat.

Archie scowled. "It doesn't matter! We've already awoken Kyogre! And as long as I hold this, we'll be okay!" he said while holding up the blue orb. "Kyogre, attack them!"

All went silent. Kyogre glanced at Yuta, Mao, and Prim. It then roared, and everyone took a step back. Suddenly, Kyogre lifted its giant body out of the water and splashed, making the river overflow once more and sending Sharpedo flying out of the water. Everyone ran to the other side of the cavern, and when they turned back, Kyogre was gone.

"What?" Archie wondered. "What happened?" He looked at the blue orb, noticing that its light had started to fade. "What?!"

Prim sighed. "You can't control a legendary Pokémon like that, Archie. All that you've done is create an awful mess that we'll have to clean up."

"Archie!" Shelley's voice called. "Kyogre is-"

"Gone!" Archie snapped.

Shelley shook her head. "It appears that Kyogre is headed for Sootopolis City."

"Sootopolis?" Yuta wondered.

* * *

"Thunderbolt!" Himawari and Tessen called out.

Luxio and Manectric jumped forward as they released electric energy from their bodies. The electric energy zapped an incoming Altaria. The Pokémon collapsed in front of them, and everyone grinned.

"This is great training," Himawari said. He looked up the tower, noticing an endless amount of steps. "But I'm so tired."

"You can take a nap when we've saved Hoenn," Genji said. His Salamence charged towards an oncoming Claydol, knocking it unconscious. "We have a duty."

"Let's keep going," Roxanne exclaimed. She pulled onto Himawari's arms, and they all started running once more.

* * *

Logan looked at the new Camerupt that stood before him. "We're not afraid!"

"You should be!" Maxie yelled. "Fire Blast!"

"Hyper Beam!"

Flygon and Camerupt unleashed their attacks once more, but this time, Fire Blast easily overpowered the Hyper Beam, and Flygon was shot out of the air.

"Flygon!" Logan yelled. He ran to his Pokémon and held her close. "You okay?"

"I don't want scum like you to see the new world," Maxie said. "All that you've done is try to stop me from saving Hoenn. You don't deserve to live."

Logan looked back. He was now wedged between Camerupt and the lake of lava.

"I'm going to take a lot of pleasure from this. Camerupt, use Fire Blast!"

Camerupt grinned as he unleashed one more blast of fire towards Logan and Flygon.

"Kingdra, use Hydro Pump!"

"Overheat, Torkoal!"

There was a sudden flash of light and two Pokémon appeared in front of Logan. They unleashed their attacks, colliding directly with Camerupt's Fire Blast. There was one more explosion, filling the cave with smoke.

Adan ran in front of Logan. "Are you okay?"

Logan nodded. "I think so." He looked at Adan's Water-type Pokémon, seemingly unaffected by the heat radiating from Groudon.

"Target the bracelet! If we can get it off of him, then we can win!" Adan yelled.

Logan looked through the smoke, getting a good look at the bracelet that Maxie was wearing. "Mightyena, get it!"

He lifted his Poké Ball, and Mightyena burst forth. He dashed through the smoke, and on the other side, Team Magma's Mightyena were waiting for him. He jumped over them, and created lightning with his jaws. He leapt towards Maxie, latching onto his arm.

"What the?" Maxie yelled. "Let me go, you mutt!" He pulled back and attempted to kick, but Mightyena jumped, ripping the bracelet from his arm and destroying the stone with his electric energy.

Camerupt groaned as his energy started to falter. His body began to glow once more, and his formed changed, reverting back to what he was originally.

"Hydro Pump!" Adan yelled.

His Kingdra floated forward as he unleashed another blast of water. The water doused Camerupt completely, although it was short lived and quickly evaporated, sending the Fire-type flying backwards. He crashed in front of Maxie and fainted immediately.

"No!" Maxie yelled. "No! No! No! How dare you steal that from me!"

Logan fell to one knee as Mightyena returned to him. He grabbed the bracelet and spinned it around his pointer finger. "Not so strong now, are ya?"

Maxie glared, but before he could respond, Groudon started to roar. Everyone turned their attention to it, and Maxie slowly started to laugh until he became hysterical.

"I control Groudon! You have nothing compared to the power that I hold!" he yelled. "Groudon, destroy them!"

Groudon roared once more, and then he slowly started to sink into the lava. Maxie looked at him with a confused expression and pulled the red orb from his pocket. The light began to fade until the orb turned a dull grey. With one more roar, Groudon disappeared completely.

"What? What happened?" Maxie wondered.

Courtney looked a her laptop. "Sir, it's headed east. It looks like there's another strong entity from the north going that way. If my computer is correct, they could meet at Sootopolis."

"Another strong entity?" Maxie wondered. "Kyogre?"

"Sootopolis?" Adan said. He turned to his group. "We have to go now."

* * *

"We're going back to Sootopolis," Steven said. It was only him and Yurie on the helicopter.

"Why there?"

"It seems like that's where the legendary Pokémon will meet for their battle. We have to do whatever we can to contain them," Steven explained.

Yurie nodded. "I'm not sure if I'm strong enough though."

Steven smiled and looked at her. "You're stronger than you know, Yurie."

* * *

"Finally!" Himawari cried out as the group reached the top of the pillar. He took a step through the giant doors, and immediately took notice as to how peaceful and quiet it was. "No storm. No heat."

"Rayquaza lives in peace up here," Genji said. "Weather is never an issue for it."

Tessen and Roxanne collapsed. Tessen's Manectric and Roxanne's Nosepass soon followed.

"We did it…" they groaned.

Himawari laughed and then looked out. He walked a few more feet onto the landing and looked into the sky. A look of shock came over his face as a shadow slowly loomed overhead.

Suddenly, a roar like no other pierced the sky, shaking the entirety of the Hoenn Region.


	47. Disaster! Can You Save Hoenn?

**Chapter 47 - Disaster! Can You Save Hoenn?!**

* * *

Sirens sounded all across Sootopolis City. People begrudgingly filed into ferries that would take them away to safety. No one understood what was going on, and the weather constantly changing between heavy rain and intense heat did not help their confusion.

Suddenly, in the middle of Sootopolis, there was an eruption in the sea, and water blasted into the air. Everyone turned their attention as a blue beast that none of them had ever seen in their lives emerged from the water. It roared, and the people of Sootopolis City went into a panic, quickly boarding the ferries in a rush for their lives.

"Single file!" one of the evacuation workers yelled. He looked up at the giant beast. "But quickly!"

Roughly one hundred yards away from the blue beast, the ocean started to bubble and boil. There was one more explosion of steam, and a red beast slowly arose. The blue beast turned to its old nemesis, and the two looked at one another, locking eyes. They both roared as many of the ferries left Sootopolis. But no one in Hoenn was safe.

* * *

Meanwhile, the helicopter that carried Logan's group was racing through the skies, currently above the usually quiet Slateport City.

Logan fastened the bracelet that Mightyena retrieved from Maxie onto his own wrist. He marveled at it before reaching into his bag and pulling out the small orange and blue stone he received from Steven several months previous. He locked it into the bracelet, and for one moment, he felt energy flow through his body. "I think it looks pretty cool."

The twins of Mossdeep looked at one another, their faces suddenly distraught.

"I sense something bad has happened," Fu said.

Lan nodded. "Or something bad will happen. Groudon and Kyogre have finally met."

Adan grimaced. "And in Sootopolis of all places. We have to get there fast."

Michika held Piplup tightly. "I'm scared," she whispered.

"Piplup…"

* * *

The helicopter with Yuta and his group landed on the roof of the Sootopolis Pokémon Center. The group quickly exited the carrier and looked towards the sea. Groudon and Kyogre were crashing into one another, creating waves that blew towards buildings, destroying anything they touched. There were still panicking people in the city, and a few of the ferries were capsized completely.

"We have to protect the people of Sootopolis," Prim said while releasing her Walrein once again.

Senri and Nagi pulled their Poké Balls out and nodded. Slaking and Altaria, injured by their previous battle with Team Aqua, suddenly appeared from the bright white light.

"Can you fight?" Yuta asked Mao, who was still shivering from being dumped in the frozen lake.

Mao grabbed a Poké Ball from her belt and pushed the button. Her three-headed Dragon-type Pokémon with evil eyes and black scales appeared. "We can still fight."

Yuta grinned. He tossed a Poké Ball into the air. "Go, Salamence!" A large blue dragon with red wings exploded from the ball. It landed on the Pokémon Center roof and then roared. It caught a look of the beasts fighting in the sea, and it clearly became uneasy.

Before the group could give any orders, the sounds of another helicopter slicing through the sky filled the air. It approached, and landed near theirs. Steven and Yurie holding Piplup in her arms exited.

"You're safe," Yuta said with a sigh of relief.

"Steven, we couldn't stop them," Prim exclaimed.

Steven nodded. "Neither could we." He looked out into the sea at the two Pokémon. "We have work to do."

"What do we do?" Prim asked.

With one quick motion, Steven released Metagross from his Poké Ball. He then climbed on top. "Yuta, Mao, come with me. We're going to lead them away from the city. Everyone else, get these civilians to safety."

Prim nodded, and she motioned for her team and Yurie to follow her towards the civillians. Yurie looked at Yuta, and for the first time since they met, Yuta looked concerned for Yurie's wellbeing.

"Don't get yourself killed," Yuta said.

"Same to you," Yurie responded. She smiled. "Jerk."

Mao stepped onto her Hydreigon while Yuta nervously got onto his Salamence. Metagross shifted its body, retracting its legs, and it began to float. The three Pokémon then shot towards the legendaries, not knowing what they were getting into.

* * *

"Ray-Rayquaza," Himawari muttered as he looked at the giant green serpentine beast.

It slowly floated down towards him, eventually coming within inches of his face. It opened its mouth, letting out a loud roar and knocking Himawari back.

"I don't think it's friendly," Himawari muttered after his body smacked against the ground. His Luxio stood in front of him and barked at Rayquaza.

"State your business!" a voice boomed.

The group turned to find a girl, roughly the same age as Himawari, standing behind Rayquaza. She wore a mask and a poncho made of fur and slowly approached the group while holding out a stick with a sharp rock on the end.

"You may not be able to tell, because you live in such a wonderful place, but the Hoenn region is in a lot of danger right now," Genji said. "We've come to enlist Rayquaza's help."

The girl removed her mask. She had red markings under her eyes. "My duty is to protect Rayquaza. How do I know that you're not hunters?"

"Do I look like a hunter?!" Himawari yelled out as he stood back up. He motioned to his wet black clothing and glared at the girl. "Furthermore, does Rayquaza actually need someone to protect it? Seems very unnecessary."

The girl looked at them with a deadpan expression. "Looks can be deceiving."

"We're begging you, Rayquaza," Roxanne said. "Help us. Millions of people will lose their lives if Groudon and Kyogre are allowed to battle."

Himawari walked forward, his glare never leaving his face. "If you don't help us, then their blood will be on your hands!"

Rayquaza once more approached Himawari. It let out another roar, knocking the blonde back again. But this time, Himawari shot straight back up and then ran to the legendary. He put his finger on the tip of Rayquaza's snout and poked as hard as he could, feeling Rayquaza's hard as steel skin.

"You stop that! I'm not some kind of toy to be played with!" he yelled.

"Himawari, be careful!" Tessen scolded

"Dragon's blood," the guardian muttered. "Rayquaza says that you have dragon's blood."

"What?" Himawari asked dumbfoundingly.

"You're like me. Rayquaza can smell it inside of you. You have dragon's blood. You seem to share my sacred duty," she explained.

It went silent.

Himawari shook his head violently. "Shut up! I don't care about dragon's blood or any sacred duty! I'm the future gym leader of Mauville City! I don't need this right now! I just want to protect my home! I want to protect my friends! I climbed thousands of stairs to get here, and I'm not leaving without Rayquaza's help!" He poked Rayquaza in the snout harder, making the Pokémon float back a few inches. Rayquaza roared again, but this time, Himawari did not flinch.

"Roar again, ugly. I dare you," Himawari said through gritted teeth.

* * *

"Incoming!" Steven yelled as Kyogre unleashed a giant blast of water from its mouth.

Yuta and Mao went around it, and their Pokémon dove forward.

"Hyper Beam!" they ordered in unison.

Salamence and Hydreigon opened their mouths and released a beam of yellow light. The beams joined together and collided with Kyogre, seemingly knocking him to the side only a few feet.

Groudon started to focus its energy, and it began to glow. It lifted its arms into the air, and spikes of hard rock from below the ocean exploded, sending stones into the air. The trainers continuously dodged the attack, and then Steven shot forward.

"Meteor Mash!" he ordered.

Metagross lifted one of its heavy arms from its joint and then swung it towards Groudon, hitting the Pokémon directly in the jaw. Groudon was barely phased though. It raised one of its massive arms into the air and prepared to swipe downwards at Metagross and Steven.

"Flygon, use Boomburst!"

Suddenly, Flygon with Logan on her back appeared. She rapidly flapped her wings, sending white energy soaring across the sea. The energy collided with Groudon's arm, deflecting it for long enough for Steven and Metagross to escape.

Steven looked up and smiled at Logan. "Thanks!"

Logan nodded. "No problem! Anytime!"

"Now, let's get these two moving!" Steven ordered.

The four trainers then started to fly away from the city, and the legendary Pokémon slowly followed, but not for long. Soon enough, they turned their attention back to one another and began to attack.

"They don't care about smallfry like us," Yuta commented.

Steven sighed. "I never thought that I'd be referred to as 'smallfry.' But, you're not wrong."

"We should take a more aggressive approach," Logan said. "There's no way that we can beat them, but if we could at the very least direct their attacks towards us rather than Sootopolis, then I think that'd be okay."

"Gotta put us in danger," Mao said with a sigh. "You haven't changed."

"Try not to get hit," Steven said. With that, the foursome all darted forward on their Pokémon.

* * *

"Is that Logan?" Yurie wondered as Michika and her group reunited with everyone else.

Michika nodded. "He just jumped out of the helicopter when he saw Steven and them fighting."

"He's insane…" Yurie said with a nervous laugh.

"We need to keep people moving," Adan said. He tossed his Poké Balls into the air, and multiple Pokémon appeared in the water. He directed a few civilians onto the backs of his Pokémon, and they started to carry them away.

Yurie and Michika continued to help guide people to safe zones with the others.

"You'll be safe," Yurie told a little boy as she helped him get onto one of the water Pokémon. "Trust me!"

Through the corner of her eye, she noticed a group, all wearing red, standing near some of the rubble of a destroyed building. She squinted her eyes and was able to make out the individual members of Team Magma.

"I noticed too," Michika exclaimed. "Should we go?"

Yurie nodded. "They're half responsible for all of this mess!"

* * *

"Boss, should we be standing so close to the action?" Tabitha asked. "One misplaced Hyper Beam, and we're goners."

Maxie did not answer him. He held the red orb tightly in his hand.

"Team Magma!" Yurie called from behind. "What do you think you're doing here?"

Maxie did not turn around, but it was instead Courtney who answered.

"We're waiting. Destiny will decide if it is Magma or Aqua who are the ultimate winners today," she said.

"It will be Aqua!" a voice boomed. With the exception of Maxie, everyone turned to find the entirety of Team Aqua standing on top of the rubble. They slowly approached Team Magma, leaving Yurie and Michika in the middle.

Courtney and Tabitha drew their Poké Balls from their belts as Matt and Shelley did the same.

"Piplup," Michika muttered. Her Pokémon puffed out her chest and prepared to fight.

"Aggron, go!" Yurie called. She released her large Pokémon, and he glared at Tabitha and Matt. "Don't think he's forgotten what you tried to do!"

"Magcargo!"

"Ninetales!"

"Crawdaunt!"

"Tentacruel!"

All of the Pokémon appeared, worn out from the battles previous, but anger fueled them.

"Fire Blast!"

"Hydro Pump!"

All of Team Magma and Team Aqua's Pokémon prepared to attack, but then two voices called out.

"Banette, Shadow Ball!"

"Absol, use Night Slash!"

From the corner of Yurie's eye, black energy exploded, knocking all of Aqua and Magma's Pokémon into the air. Once they each hit the ground, every single one of them fainted instantly.

"What?!" Matt screamed. Everyone turned to find two new people standing in the shadows. They walked forward, illuminating their appearances. One was a teenager with flowers in her hair and a flower-print dress around her waist. The other was a nicely dressed man with a single tuft of red hair sticking out from the top of his head.

"Elite Four scum," Archie muttered. He slowly walked forward and stood next to Maxie, looking out over the sea. "Ruining everything."

"Long time no see, Fuyo, Kagetsu," Maxie said.

The girl and man looked at one another. "You two have caused a lot of trouble," said the girl.

"This is quite the colossal tantrum that you're throwing," the man added.

Maxie and Archie both remained silent.

"Tantrum?" Yurie wondered.

* * *

"Dodge!" Logan instructed his Pokémon as Kyogre shot a beam of ice straight towards him. Flygon swiftly lifted her body into the air, avoiding the attack.

"Hyper Beam!" the four trainers all ordered in unison.

Their Pokémon unleashed four beams of bright energy at the two legendary Pokémon. The beams hit directly, making both of the Pokémon waver a little bit. Kyogre sunk back into the sea while Groudon crashed into a nearby small island.

Logan looked at Flygon who was now moving slowly and breathing heavily. "Flygon can't do this much longer."

Yuta nodded. "My Salamence is almost at his limit."

"Hydreigon too."

Steven patted his Metagross on the head. "A little bit more, buddy. And then you can rest all you want."

The two legendary Pokémon then stood still, and their bodies began to glow. The earth rumbled, and there was a giant explosion of steam and water. Giant stones and shards of ice were tossed into the air. They started to fall towards the trainers and their Pokémon.

"Watch out!" Yuta said. One piece of stone collided with Salamence on the side, and the two began to descend towards land. They were able to safely land, and Yuta returned his Pokémon. He looked up towards his friends.

"Yuta!" Mao called out. A shard of ice smashed against Hydreigon, and the two were sent in a downwards spiral. Mao quickly returned her Pokémon and then released another into the ocean. She landed on a pink blob which kindly grabbed onto her and smiled. "Thank you, Jellicent," she muttered.

Flygon and Metagross continued to dodge the attacks, and Groudon and Kyogre started to prepare their next maneuver. Without much notice, the two unleashed dual Hyper Beams. Metagross turned its body, taking one of the attacks on its belly, sending it and Steven into the ocean.

"Steven!" Logan yelled. Flygon dodged around the other Hyper Beam, and then they shot towards the legendary Pokémon. "Boomburst!" he yelled once they were in between the two.

Flygon unleashed her sound-based attack, making both of the legendary Pokémon separate a few more feet.

"Yes!" Logan cried out. He turned around, and without a moment's notice, a blast of fire struck Flygon's wing. Both Logan and his Pokémon were tossed backwards, landing on a nearby island close to the debris. Logan rolled off of his now fainted Pokémon and groaned. He could barely move.

"Pain…" he groaned.

* * *

"We denied you spots in the Hoenn Elite Four, and this is what it comes to?" Fuyo asked. Her Banette floated in front of her and prepared to fight if necessary.

Both Maxie and Archie remained silent.

"Do you hold some kind of vendetta against us?" Kagetsu asked. His Absol joined him at his side. "We know this isn't about drowning or burning the Hoenn region and creating some better version of it. That would be insane, and you know it."

Maxie turned. "It's about destroying it."

Archie nodded. "Maxie and I have our differences, and he will always remain my rival, but I hate no one more than the Elite Four. He looked at Fuyo. We could have been the strongest Elite Four ever formed, but once you denied me entry, you denied yourself that honor."

"And when you rejected me, you rejected the search for the legendary Pokémon itself," Maxie snapped. "You're all fools."

"We had no interest in using the legendary Pokémon in the Elite Four. That kind of power is dangerous," Kagetsu snapped.

Maxie chortled. "Well, I guess we'll just have to see how dangerous it is."

* * *

Logan forced himself to sit up, and he watched the two legendary Pokémon as they battled. They continuously shot beams at one another, destroying any and all land around them. The buildings of Sootopolis City were no longer safe, but at least they were empty. The weather still constantly changed. Every time that Groudon would hit an attack, the sun would become hot and burn, and any time that Kyogre struck, it'd rain as though it was a monsoon.

After returning Flygon, Logan grabbed onto a nearby tree and used it to stand up. He looked over, noticing that Mao, Yuta, and Steven were all safe. They waved at one another, and his friends motioned that they were going to return to the safe area in Sootopolis.

Logan was alone on his little island.

The two Pokémon roared, and Kyogre released a bright beam of light. Groudon was able to barely maneuver around the beam, and it continued towards Logan's island. With a loud explosion, trees erupted into the air. Logan looked up, but before he could move, a part of the debris cracked him in the face, slicing open his cheek. He fell back and tried to catch his breath. But he couldn't move, and the feeling in his legs was lost. He looked down noticing that one of the trees that was destroyed was now laying on his right leg. Suddenly, feeling came flowing back, and pain shot throughout his body.

Logan screamed as he tried to move, but he was trapped. He bit onto his thumb, enough to draw blood, in an attempt to force the pain to a different spot before he attempted to move, but it was useless. The tree was too heavy.

"Help!" he yelled out. "I can't move!"

But nobody could hear him.

"Help me!" he cried out. "My leg…"

Suddenly, the Poké Balls on his belt exploded, and the five of his remaining Pokémon appeared: Swampert, Mightyena, Vigoroth, Manectric, and Duskull. They all looked at the tree and then their trainer. A worried look came over all of their faces.

"Vigoroth!" his Pokémon cried out. She ran over to the tree and tried to lift it, but to no avail. The others soon joined her, and although they were able to get it to budge, they could not lift it completely

Logan screamed from the pain. Tears started to stream down his face. He wiped them away once more and then smacked his hands on the ground. His new bracelet clanged against a small stone, letting out a loud noise and catching Logan's attention.

"Swampert… let's…" He took in a breath and screamed, "Mega Evolve!" He pushed onto the stone that was placed inside the bracelet, and it started to glow. Energy surged through Logan's body, and Swampert stood up straight. The air around him shifted and started to illuminate. His body began to shift and change, and soon, he was transformed. Now, his arms and shoulders were massive, and he hunched over.

"Swampert!" the Pokémon cried out as his newfound power flowed throughout his body.

With one last heave, Swampert and the others lifted the tree off of Logan's leg. Swampert tossed it away, and then they turned to their trainer. Duskull pulled the Wailmer towel from Mightyena's neck, and with Vigoroth's help, they were able to tie it around Logan's right leg.

Logan cried out in pain. "Leg… Why…" His head fell back, and he then whited out.

* * *

"You're insane!" Yurie screamed. "You get rejected, so you decide to destroy everything around you! You're like a toddler who didn't get a toy they wanted!"

"Quiet, child!" Maxie snapped.

"No! You're the child! I've never seen such a bad temper tantrum in my life!" Yurie yelled. "You're both pathetic! And you clearly didn't deserve to get into the Elite Four if this is what you were gonna act like."

"What's done is done," Archie said calmly. "We will now have to deal with the consequences of everyone's actions."

Everyone looked out at the sea. The two Pokémon collided with each other once more, sending a shockwave throughout the area. They separated and glared at one another. Both opened their mouths and prepared for one more powerful attack.

But then suddenly.

Through the clouds, a light peeked through. And it wasn't the intense sunlight from before. This was different. It was a gentle light. A yellow light. A figure appeared at the base of the light and began to descend towards the two legendary Pokémon.

"Is that-" Maxie started.

"Rayquaza!" Archie yelled.

"They-they did it," Yurie muttered. She took a good look at the long, serpentine, green Dragon-type Pokémon. "I can't believe that they actually did it…"

"One second," Michika mumbled. She pointed towards the base of Rayquaza's neck.

"Himawari?!"

* * *

"I have dragon's blood!" Himawari screamed as he and Rayquaza soared through the air. He watched as the two Pokémon fumbled towards one another. "I'm gonna throw up!"

Rayquaza unleashed a beam of light from his mouth, slicing the ocean between Groudon and Kyogre in half. The two Pokémon looked into the sky, and they were taken aback. Rayquaza roared at the two of them, and it was as if time had stopped. Groudon and Kyogre gazed up at Rayquaza and then at one another. The dragon roared once more. The rain stopped, and there was no more intense heat.

The two Pokémon were silent. And then, they slowly started to back away.

"Yeah, that's right!" Himawari taunted. "Back up off me!"

Rayquaza could not help but smile.

Kyogre paused for a moment before it turned and then dove into the ocean like a great whale while Groudon sank, never taking its eyes off of Rayquaza. The water around him boiled, but it soon came to a stop, becoming still.

Within moments, as though they were never there to begin with, the two Pokémon had disappeared completely.

"Did-did we do it?" Himawari asked.

Rayquaza roared in response, filling the air with its screech.

"Thank goodness!"

* * *

"No!" Maxie and Archie yelled in unison. Fuyo and Kagetsu appeared behind them and cuffed their hands together with metal devices.

"You and your little followers are under arrest," Kagetsu said. "You can throw your fits in prison."

Himawari patted Rayquaza on the side. "Think you can take me to my friends?" He pointed over to where Yurie and Michika stood.

Rayquaza nodded and then flew over to land. It lowered its head, and then Himawari got off. His legs shook, and he collapsed into Yurie's and Michika's arms. They were still in shock as to what happened, but eventually, Michika gained the energy to speak.

"What _actually_ just happened?" Michika asked. She never took her eyes off of the dragon.

Himawari nervously laughed as his body violently shook with adrenaline. "It looks like my mom has some explaining to do." He turned to Rayquaza. "I have duties as a gym leader, but I'll make sure to visit you sometime!"

Rayquaza smiled and then roared once more. He turned and flew off into the air, eventually disappearing into the clouds.

"I got a free ride back. Gramps and the lot have to walk!" Himawari exclaimed. "Guess I'm special, ya know?"

The three laughed.

"Where's Logan?" Himawari asked, looking around the area and not seeing his friend. Around half of the buildings in Sootopolis were now in shambles, and Himawari's usual smile turned to a look of worry. "Yurie, where's Logan?"

Yurie ran to the ledge of where they stood and looked out to the sea.

* * *

**Two Days Later...**

All Logan could hear was a beeping noise. It sounded familiar. It made him uneasy. He opened his eyes to find light blue curtains and a few machines surrounding him. The curtains blew with the light wind that came from the window, and the beeping came from a machine that monitored his heart. Slowly, the sound of a radio playing slow music from many decades ago faded into his hearing. He looked down, noticing that his right leg was now in bandages. He tried to turn his head, but pain shot throughout his whole body. He loudly groaned.

"Logan?!" Yurie's voice called.

Logan looked to the right, noticing Yurie who was holding his hand tightly. "Hey…" he managed to say.

"I'm so glad you're alive!" she yelled while leaning forward and giving him a hug. He let out another groan and she let go. "Sorry! Sorry…" She then stood up and turned down the radio. "Juniper said that you liked 60's Unovan music, so we decided to play some of it in hopes that it'd soothe you, or something."

"What happened?"

Yurie wiped tears from her eyes and smiled. "As much as I hate to say this, Himawari saved us all."

Logan grinned. "I'm in a coma, right?"

The door slowly creaked open, and Steven popped his head in. "I heard talking, so I figured you were awake. Can I come in?"

Logan slowly gave him a thumbs up, and Steven entered. He was followed by a man with long blue hair and dressed in all white.

"Definitely a coma…"

"How are you?" Steven asked.

"Mostly confused."

The man behind Steven laughed. "It has been a very confusing week. Thank you for everything you did for us today, Logan. Your bravery helped save not only Sootopolis, but all of Hoenn."

Logan laughed. "I didn't do anything."

The man bent over and looked at Logan's leg. "You're currently in the Sootopolis Hospital. Had you not been there to help-if we were missing anyone from our team, this hospital would be no more."

"Your Wallace, correct?" Logan said with a smile.

Wallace smiled. "I was told you were bright."

Logan started to laugh. "I'm a big fan. Maybe I'm a little high from the medication, but can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything. What is it?"

"Think you can you sign my cast?"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

That was a lot to write. Kind of feels like a finale.

It's not, but it definitely feels like it.

What'd you all think of my take on this arc? I don't think it's too far-fetched to say that Maxie and Archie could have tried out to be Elite Four members. They don't really have very good (or realistic) motivation in the games, and I think this adds… something. But, for all I know, I just made it worse.

Roughly 20 chapters left to go!

Also, I don't quite know how Fanfiction's ratings work, but I've changed this rating to T because of the scene where Logan breaks his leg. The language and such won't be changing.


	48. Promises

**Chapter 48 - Promises**

* * *

"The most recent weather anomalies have been connected to the legendary Pokémon Groudon and Kyogre. The legendary Pokémon were allegedly awoken by local Hoenn terrorist groups, Team Magma and Team Aqua respectively. We will be covering the trials of the terrorist groups as news breaks," the anchorman reported on the television. "Don't touch that di-"

Logan pushed the button on his remote, switching off the TV. He looked out the window at the sunshine and peaceful weather. Placed by his bed was a crutch that he could use to assist in walking. He grabbed it and pulled himself out of the hospital bed and then walked to the window and smiled.

"I love the smell of spring," he muttered to himself.

"You shouldn't be up," Yurie called from behind. Logan slowly turned around and noticed that she was carrying a tray of hospital food. He grimaced. "You need to eat, Logan."

"Hospital food is gross… It's been a week! Can I leave already? I want to get to my last gym badge," Logan exclaimed. "My Pokémon are more than ready to go!"

Yurie shook her head. "Even if you weren't hurt, Sootopolis was badly damaged, and I'm unsure if Adan is taking challengers right now. Some time has to pass."

Logan took a closer look at the tray. "Jell-o?"

"Yup!"

"Sweet!"

* * *

Yuta fastened the silver bracelet to his wrist and looked at it. "So, with this, my Pokémon can reach their next level of power?" he wondered.

"If you have the proper stone!" Steven said. "Taking a look at your team, you have a lot of Pokémon that are compatible, so you could spend the next couple months looking for stones while you wait for the Ever Grande Conference."

Yuta smiled. "Who would have thought that something from Team Aqua would have benefited me. I'll make sure to put Archie's bracelet to good use."

Himawari smirked. "With something like that, you're an even more dangerous trainer. The conference will be a breeze for you."

"I won't count my chickens until they hatch, or however the saying goes."

* * *

"The Hoenn Grand Festival is in one month. Think you're ready?" Adan asked. He and Michika were sitting at one of the diners that remained undamaged in the attack. Adan's eyes were sunken in as though he hadn't slept for a week.

"Yeah! I'm sure that's more than enough time to prepare!" Michika said with a smile.

"It'll be nice to have something positive after what happened. I'm sure people are in need of a good show."

"The world gives us both good and bad. We should focus on the good."

Adan smiled. "I was really impressed with all of your contests, Michika. It must have been difficult to come to Hoenn and compete for the first time, but you pulled it off like a natural. I should remain impartial, but I'll definitely be rooting for you."

"I'll do my best!"

"Piplup!"

* * *

Logan and Yurie sat watching TV. The two hadn't spoken for a few hours, but instead sat in silence. Logan lifted his remote and pressed the power button.

"What's wrong?" Yurie asked.

"You should be training," Logan said. "You shouldn't be cooped up in here with me. You were lucky enough to get the chance to perform in the Hoenn Grand Festival, so you should be practicing."

Yurie looked down at the floor. "I figured you'd want company."

"I appreciate the company. I do."

"Then that's why I'm-"

"But I think you'd benefit from taking this time to train. It'd get your mind off of what happened, and you have your upcoming performances to start worrying about. Aggron is finally listening, so take this opportunity."

Yurie remained silent.

"This isn't the first time that this has happened to me," Logan said.

Yurie looked up. "What?"

Logan stifled laughter. "Yeah. Two years ago, almost to the day, I fought alongside Mao, Luna, and my childhood friend against the legendary Pokémon of Unova. It wasn't easy, and we all ended up in the hospital."

"I guess you're drawn to danger?"

"Could be!" he said with a laugh. "Alola also had some weird moments, but it was ultimately less scary. But this. This took me back." He clenched his fists and started to shake. "I was scared, Yurie."

"We all were," she said as she reached for his hand. "I thought we were going to die."

He stopped shaking and remained still. "But we didn't."

Yurie looked at Logan's leg. "But we didn't make it out unscathed."

"You need to train. I'll get some rest."

Yurie stood up and looked at Logan in the eyes. Tears were slowly streaming down her cheeks. "I wasn't ready to lose you, Logan."

"I-"

"I don't know how to communicate my feelings very well, but you've become my best friend, and because I met you, I've done so much. I've changed. I've become a decent Pokémon trainer." She looked at Torchic. "And I've learned to value my Pokémon as family. This is because of you."

"I think you would have gotten there on your own, Yurie."

She shook her head. "No! You've given me motivation to try new things! Logan, if I lost you, I don't think I could continue traveling. If we ever, _ever_, come across a situation like this again, do not do anything reckless! You jumped out of a helicopter?!"

Logan stared at her in silence.

She raised her hand and extended her pinky. "Pinky promise me that you won't put yourself in danger again! I can't lose you like that!"

Logan looked at Yurie's pinky and thought of all the promises that Luna and he had made. He slowly raised his hand and hesitantly hooked his pinky with Yurie's.

"I promise."

* * *

"Look who's decided to get out of the scary hospital!" Himawari said happily as Yurie walked out onto the roof of the Pokémon Center. Himawari, Michika, and Yuta all sat at a picnic table, enjoying the fresh air of the Hoenn spring. "How's Logan?"

"He's doing okay. Making jokes, like usual."

"How are you?" Michika asked.

Yurie sighed. "I'm still shaky, but I'll be okay."

"I think we all are," Yuta mumbled.

"Not me!" Himawari exclaimed. "I've never had this much self-confidence in my life!"

"You don't have literal dragon's blood," Michika exclaimed.

Himawari laughed. "Nah! But apparently my mom comes from a long line of people who train Dragon-type Pokémon. I never knew! She was always so quiet. And I've never met her family before. I never questioned it!"

"Maybe you can become a Dragon-type gym leader?" Yuta suggested with a smirk.

Himawari thought about it for a second. "Is there a dual Electric, Dragon-type Pokémon?"

"Not that I know of," Michika said.

Yurie took a seat at the table. "I should probably start preparing for the grand festival, but I can't even lift a Poké Ball right now."

"You'll lose with that kind of attitude," said Yuta.

"I'll be leaving tomorrow for Slateport," Michika said. "I'm going to try to put all of this behind me and work on what comes next."

"What about you, Yuta?" Himawari asked.

"I'm going to hunt for mega stones. I'll be training my Pokémon in the process, and I'm going to try my best to win the conference."

"Not if Logan has anything to say about it," Yurie said. "Can't even walk, but all he can talk about is winning his next gym badge and training. Something about almost dying has fired him up."

"He's insane, but I get it. I've been riding this high for a week!" Himawari exclaimed.

* * *

Logan stood on the roof of the hospital and watched as the sun began to set. His six Pokémon stood behind him, and he turned around to the best of his abilities and smiled at them.

"You guys ready to get our last gym badge?"

His Pokémon cried out happily.

"We should get to work, then!" he said.

"I figured I'd find you up here," Mao's voice interrupted. She closed the door to the stairway and walked over to Logan's Pokémon. She raised her hand and pet Flygon gently on the cheek. "Remind you of Unova?"

"A little bit."

Mao half smiled. "As much as I don't want to admit this, battling again like we did made me very excited. I love teaching, but nothing has fulfilled me as much as battling did when we first started. And my Pokémon are getting rusty."

"Or maybe you are?" Logan suggested.

"Watch yourself, Logan."

Logan looked back at the sun, now halfway past the shadows of the earth. "There's still time to take on the conference. If you fly around the region, you can battle all of the gym leaders in a week. I'd love a rematch in front of a crowd. Wanna show everyone that I can beat you now."

Mao laughed. "I have classes. It's not possible."

"That's too bad, I guess."

Mao walked to Logan and stood next to him.

"Almost two years to the day," Logan whispered.

Mao nodded.

* * *

**Two Years Ago**

Juniper's four former students all stood on the hospital rooftop, watching as the sun set. Logan had his left wrist and hand bandaged up, Aaron with a small cast over his right arm, Luna stood with the assistance of crutches, and Mao had bandages on her face.

"A couple months till the conference, eh?" Logan said.

The three other trainers looked at him in disbelief.

"You can't honestly be thinking about training after what we just went through!" Aaron snapped.

Logan turned and poked his friend on the nose. "Ope, looks like you're still alive, Aaron!"

"Poke me again, and we're going to have a problem!"

"Calm down," Luna said quietly. "Now's not the time to be fighting."

Logan laughed. "We're all alive. We made it. It was really difficult, and I thought that Zekrom was going to kill us, but we made it. We should be thankful and move on."

"I think it takes some honestly amazing mental gymnastics to move on," Aaron yelled. "You must be clinically insane, Logan."

Logan looked back at the group's Pokémon. "We made it through because we've all trained our Pokémon very well. Me and Luna with our twin Emboar, Mao with her Serperior, and you with your Samurott. We owe it to our Pokémon to keep training."

Mao laughed. "As ridiculous as it sounds, I think he's got a point."

Aaron grimaced and then looked at the sunset. "I'll keep training."

"Good!" Logan said.

"But!" Aaron shouted. "You have to promise me something, buddy! And not just you! This is a group promise, okay?"

Luna smiled. "Group promise?"

"Yeah!" Aaron held out his hand and extended his pinky. "This year… It may be our rookie year as trainers, but we've busted our butts to get this far. We've battled and beat all of the gym leaders. We've just defeated a dang legendary Pokémon. This year, one of us must win the conference."

Mao stuck her hand in and linked her pinky. "I can get down with a promise like that."

"I was already planning on winning, so I guess I'll promise," Luna said while adding in her pinky to the mix.

Logan grinned. "Sounds good to me! It's a race to the top!" The four all locked their pinkies as they watched the sun disappear behind the earth.

* * *

**Present Day**

"What do you say to a promise?" Mao said. The sun was almost gone by now. "I know you can do it, Logan. This year, promise me that you'll win the conference. You've got the skills to do it." She held out her hand.

Logan took a long look at her hand and then slowly shook his head. "Nah. All I do is break promises. I made one today, and I want to focus on keeping it."

Mao laughed slightly. "Oh yeah?"

He nodded. "Yeah. And besides, I already know I'm gonna win."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I really like chapters like this. I have this sort of added benefit with Healing in Hoenn where I can sprinkle in little bits of Logan's past, and I think it spices up the story a bit.

Do you see Logan winning the Hoenn conference?


	49. Fight! Appeal to Adan!

**Chapter 49 - Fight! Appeal to Adan!**

* * *

"Logan, I understand your eagerness to battle, but we honestly don't have to," Adan said. He held out a blue triangular gym badge created by three raindrops. "You helped to save Hoenn, so as far as I'm concerned, you've already earned the Rain Badge."

It had been three weeks since the incident. Yuta and Michika had departed for their respective training, and Logan was now out of the hospital, but still walking with the assistance from crutches. He was ready to get his new gym badge and then move onto Slateport City for Yurie's grand festival.

Logan groaned as he looked at Adan's hand. "I understand where you're coming from, but no. I want to battle with you, Adan. My Pokémon haven't come this far to just be given their last gym badge."

"Logan, if he's just going to give it to you, then take it," Himawari said. "Gym leaders don't have to determine their challengers worth simply by battle. Judge of character is also acceptable."

"I understand that," Logan said. "But I won't win the Hoenn Grande Conference with judge of character. Adan is said to be the strongest of all the gym leaders in Hoenn, and I want to test myself."

Adan laughed and put the gym badge into his jacket pocket. "Fine. Tomorrow. It's a five on five single battle. My field is also water Pokémon friendly, so keep that in mind. I'm going to at least give you the heads up."

Logan grinned. "Thanks!"

* * *

"Favors Water-types, eh?" Himawari wondered. "You can probably pull from your old teams. Either using Water-types or Electric-types could probably be really good! Or you can borrow one of my Pokémon!"

Logan looked at the Poké Balls that he currently had. He held Duskull's Poké Ball in his hand. "Nah. These Pokémon will do just fine. They're versatile enough. I have faith in them."

"Any specific plan of attack?" Yurie wondered.

Logan reached into his bag and pulled out his TM case. "New attacks."

* * *

"This battle will be between Sootopolis Gym Leader, Adan and challenger, Logan Stephenson from Unova. It will be a five on five single battle, and only the challenger is allowed to make substitutions. The battle will be over when one side's Pokémon have all fainted," the referee declared into a microphone. The crowd that came to watch their battle cheered.

"I wasn't expecting a crowd," Yurie mumbled.

Himawari laughed. "Adan wants to put on a show for the people of Sootopolis. They need some positivity right now."

"I've chosen my strongest Pokémon, Logan," Adan said. "Do you really think you stand a chance."

Logan lifted his crutch and pointed at the gym leader. "Give me all you got!"

"Begin!"

"Go, Politoed!" Adan yelled while tossing his Poké Ball into the air. A stout yellow and green Pokémon appeared. It clapped its hands together and cheered. The crowd laughed.

"Cute," Logan said. "Vigoroth, show 'em what you got!"

Vigoroth exploded onto the field and howled. She looked at Politoed and then struck a fighting pose.

"Vigoroth, let's start things off with Slash!"

"Coming straight in, I see," Adan said calmly as Vigoroth ran down the battlefield. "Politoed, Scald!"

Politoed clapped his hands together, and then his pouch-like cheeks started to bubble. He unleashed a stream of water from his mouth, steam coming off of it. Vigoroth jumped over the stream and then slashed at Politoed, knocking the Water-type back.

"It's fast," Adan said. "Retreat into the water!"

Politoed followed orders and then jumped backwards, landing into one of the pools that was built into the battlefield.

"Be careful, Vigoroth! We don't know where it'll come up!" Logan warned. Vigoroth nodded and then began to look around for her opponent.

"Hypnosis!"

Politoed emerged from the water and started to vibrate his cheeks. A purple energy flew from his mouth and surrounded Vigoroth, but nothing happened.

"What?!" Adan wondered.

"That'd be Vigoroth's Vital Spirit. You can't make her rest no matter how hard you try!" Logan said. "Trust me."

Adan gritted his teeth. "Then we'll do Focus Blast!"

"Aerial Ace!"

Politoed formed a ball of energy in his arms and then he unleashed it towards Vigoroth. Meanwhile, Vigoroth shot forward, a white light of energy exploding from her claws. She connected with the ball of fighting energy, but Vigoroth was overpowered and forced backwards. She did a backflip and then landed safely, but she clutched at her stomach.

"Scald!" Adan instructed.

"Politoed!" the Pokémon cried out as it released the boiling water from its mouth. This time, the move hit, covering Vigoroth with the water. Vigoroth cried and then fell to one knee. Suddenly, her body exploded with flames, which quickly died down.

"Burn status," Logan mumbled.

"Got you now! One more Focus Blast!"

"Let's use Endeavor!"

As Politoed started to charge up his energy, Vigoroth began to glow a red hue. She bounded forward, smashing through Politoed's attack, and sending the water Pokémon into the air.

"Vigoroth, finish this with Aerial Ace!"

As though she was already prepared for her trainer's instructions, Vigoroth shot into the air. She slashed with her glowing white claws, making Politoed fly back to the battlefield and crash hard. Smoke blew into the air, but once it cleared, everyone understood the result.

"Politoed is unable to battle! Vigoroth is the winner!"

Vigoroth held her arms up high and cheered before suddenly catching on fire once more. The fire quickly dissipated, and she fell to one knee.

"Not bad," Adan said as he returned his Pokémon. "But I think you'll have to do better than that!" He threw his next Poké Ball into the air, and a familiar Pokémon appeared. A Crawdaunt stood before Vigoroth, clamping its two giant pinsirs intimidatingly.

_Vigoroth is hurt, but she has the perfect attack to take down this Crawdaunt with one hit. If we can hit, we're golden._ Logan thought. "Make your move!"

"Fine by me! Crawdaunt, use Rain Dance!"

"Perfect!"

Crawdaunt raised one of his large pinsirs in the air and opened it. A ball of haze started to form within the claw.

"Focus Punch!"

"What?!"

Vigoroth closed her eyes, and she grabbed her right wrist with her left claw. Energy began to form in her right claws, and they expanded with white and red energy. Meanwhile, Crawdaunt released the ball of haze into the air, forming an artificial cloud above the stage. It then began to rain, and Vigoroth dashed forward.

"Crabhammer!"

The two Pokémon swung their attacks at one another, smashing each other in the face. They both stood still for a moment, and the crowd became hushed. Thunder sounded from the clouds, and then both of the Pokémon collapsed to the ground.

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle! This round is a draw!" the referee announced.

"Logan is making this look easy! Only one attack!" Yurie said happily.

Himawari sat back and closed his eyes. "Yeah, but I'm sure Adan has a secret up his sleeve. He still has three more Pokémon to go."

"Sealeo, it's up to you now!" Adan called while tossing his next Poké Ball into the air. A plump blue Pokémon with white whiskers appeared. It rolled sideways and smacked its belly playfully.

Logan looked down at Mightyena. "Get 'em!"

Mightyena barked and then ran onto the stage. He lowered his head and prepared to attack.

"My Sealeo may appear gentle, but I warn you, she's very strong."

"I'm no stranger to deception," Logan retorted. "Use Thunder Fang!

"Into the water!"

Mightyena started to run forward as electricity emitted from his jaw. Sealeo was quick though, and rolled backwards, falling into the water, but not before waving goodbye to Mightyena.

"No matter! Electrify the water!"

Mightyena nodded and then ran towards one of the pools.

"Sheer Cold!"

"What?! Dodge!"

Sealeo exploded from the water, crystallized energy forming in front of her mouth. She shot the energy downwards, and it exploded onto Mightyena's body, making the Dark-type fly back. He landed in a heap and instantly fainted.

"Mightyena is unable to battle! Sealeo wins!"

"No…" Logan muttered. He lifted his Poké Ball and returned Mightyena. "We won't fall for that one again."

"I'd hope not," Adan said with a smile.

"And there was the trick. Now they're tied," said Himawari.

"He turned it around like it was nothing," Yurie commented.

"Manectric, let's do this!" Logan yelled while throwing his Premier Ball onto the field. Manectric appeared and then howled. He looked at the happy Sealeo with a confused look on his face.

"Into the water!" Adan called. His Pokémon complied, quickly rolling into one of the pools.

"Keep an eye out," Logan warned.

A few moments passed before Sealeo remerged once more, the crystallized energy formed infront of her face again. She released the energy, but Manectric was quick and moved out of the way.

"Discharge!" Logan instructed.

Manectric took in energy before unleashing it all around the field. It washed over Sealeo, seemingly stopping the Pokémon in her place.

"Now, Wild Charge!"

Manectric stamped his feet on the ground and then howled. He started a slow run forward, electric energy building up around his body. Soon, he was at a full sprint, and the energy covered him entirely.

"Toxic!"

At the last second, Sealeo opened her mouth and bit onto the charging Manectric. Both Pokémon stopped in their tracks as the electric energy covered them. Sealeo released her grip, and Manectric took a few steps back. Sealeo then retreated into the water, clearly injured by the previous attack.

"Manectric, are you okay?!" Logan asked as he Pokémon began to look sick.

"Toxic is a slow killer, but it is effective," Himawari commented. "Manectric is in deep trouble."

"C'mon, Manectric!" Yurie cheered.

"Let's stay focused," Logan said. He closely watched as his Pokémon struggled to remain standing.

"Emerge!"

Sealeo shot through one of the pools and then high into the air.

"Combination Super Fang and Surf!"

The water from the pool suddenly started to follow Sealeo's momentum. The Water-type turned her body and then fell back towards the ground while the amount of water increased.

"Flamethrower!" Logan yelled.

Manectric fought through the pain and then flames bellowed from his mouth. They covered Sealeo, but were quickly washed away by the water. Sealeo clamped down onto Manectric, and the Electric-type let out a howl. He backed away a few feet to try to regain some composure, but then the waves took over him, and he was pushed to the sideline walls. When the water drained back into the pools, Manectric tried to stand up.

"Manectric!" Logan called. His Pokémon looked at Sealeo and grinned, but before he could take another step, the purple haze came over his body, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Manectric is unable to battle! Sealeo is the winner!" the referee announced as the rain from the artificial cloud faded away.

Logan returned Manectric and then looked at his two remaining Poké Balls. _He's really backed me into a corner._

"You should have just taken your gym badge when I offered it to you, Logan," said Adan. "I didn't want to embarass you like this."

"Yuta defeated you, correct? And a girl named Luna?" Logan asked.

"Yuta, yes," Adan said. He put his hand to his chin and stroked his pencil thin mustache. "And if I remember correctly, a girl about your age did beat me a few months ago."

"Then I'll beat you too," Logan exclaimed. "Duskull, you're up!"

Duskull appeared from his Poké Ball and waved his arms around, trying to scare Sealeo who had already taken a lot of damage.

"Get in close! Dark Pulse!" Logan instructed.

Duskull formed black energy in his arms and then floated forward. He tossed the energy at the ground, making a small explosion of darkness.

"Surf!"

Sealeo focused her energy, and the water from the pools started to rise, washing over the dark energy. She used the wave and flew into the air before turning her body and shooting towards Duskull.

_Just what I wanted._ Logan thought. "Thunder Punch!"

Duskull backed away as he plunged his electrified fist forward. The electricity connected with Sealeo, stopping her attack completely. She gave one more glance at Duskull before slumping to the ground.

"Sealeo is unable to battle! Duskull is the winner!"

Duskull retreated his arm and looked over his former opponent waringly. Adan returned Sealeo, which surprised the Ghost-type.

"My Sealeo and your Duskull are important reminders that you don't need to have a fully evolved Pokémon to truly tap into their potential," Adan said. "I respect you for that, Logan. But your battle ends with my next Pokémon. Go, Whischash!"

A dark blue Pokémon with long blue whiskers appeared in the pool directly in front of Adan. It smiled at Duskull and then slowly sunk into the water. Only its eyes could be seen.

"We'll do this quickly! Thunder Punch!" Logan ordered.

"Wait for it."

Duskull floated across the stage as quickly as he could, building electricity in his arm. He swung his ghostly fist, smashing it directly into Whiscash, but there was no response. Whiscash simply smiled.

"What?!" Logan yelled.

"Ground-type, my boy."

"Oh…"

"Waterfall!"

Whiscash quickly dove into the water before emerging with energy surrounding his body. He grinded against Duskull, bringing the Ghost-type into the air. Duskull pushed back though, giving himself distance.

"Shadow Ball!"

As the two Pokémon fell, Duskull formed a ball of darkness in his arms. He released it, connecting directly Whiscash and knocking it back. Both Pokémon fell to the ground, but Whiscash quickly splashed his way to one of the pools.

"Use another Waterfall!"

"Duskull, use rapid fire Shadow Ball!"

Once again, Whiscash exploded from one of the pools, but Duskull was quick. He launched multiple balls of black energy towards the Water-type, connecting directly with all of them. Whiscash landed onto the ground and winced.

"Whiscash, take a break. Let's use rest!"

Whiscash nodded. It smiled and then closed its eyes, instantly falling asleep.

"What?!" Yurie yelled. "Why would he do something like that?!"

"It regains most of its energy this way," Himawari explained.

"Let's make them pay! Use Dark Pulse!"

Duskull flew in close to Whiscash and smashed his dark energy filled hands into its back. Whiscash flapped around, but did not wake up.

"Okay! Shadow Ball!"

Duskull quickly twisted his body, unleashing one ball, getting a direct hit. The motion of the blow sent Whiscash sliding across the wet floor and into one of the pools.

"No…" Logan groaned.

Adan raised his hand into the air and snapped. "Finish with Spark!"

The ground below Duskull cracked and then exploded. An electrified Whiscash appeared and tackled into the Ghost-type, sending Duskull high into the air. Duskull's body flattened out upon impact, and he slowly floated back towards the stage, landing in what was now a giant pool with only two small islands on either side.

"Duskull is unable to battle! Whiscash is the winner!"

"This is the second stage of my battle!" Adan announced. The crowd cheered.

Logan returned his Pokémon and grabbed his last ball. "It's a good thing I saved this Pokémon for last then."

"Its two to one," said Himawari. "C'mon, Logan."

"You can do this!"

"Swampert, let's show them how it's done!"

Swampert appeared from the white light of the Poké Ball onto one of the islands. He danced around and then looked for his opponent. Whiscash was in the middle of the pool, smiling at Swampert.

"Whiscash, start with Earthquake!"

Whiscash's eyes turned red, and it began to shake. The entire stadium started to rumble, and the floor under Swampert began to crack and fall apart. He fell into the water but was not bothered.

"Waterfall!" Adan ordered.

Whiscash raced forward on the water, dragging aquatic energy with him.

"Ice Beam!" Logan yelled.

At the last second, Swampert unleashed a beam of ice from his mouth, connecting directly with Whiscash and freezing the water in front of him. The Ground-type flew back and fell into the water. It slowly floated to the top, belly up.

"Whiscash is unable to battle! Swampert is the winner!" the referee declared.

Adan returned Whiscash as Swampert stood up on the ice that he had created.

"This has been a wonderful battle, Logan, and I'm sad that it is coming to a close, but alas, one of us must win!"

"All good things must come to an end, I guess."

"Kingdra, come to the stage!" Adan called while tossing his Poké Ball into the air. Kingdra appeared and then plopped into the water. He glared at Swampert.

"I figured," Logan said. He raised his arm. "Since we're putting on a show, watch this!" He pushed the stone on his bracelet, and it started to glow. The energy in the room suddenly changed, and the air around Swampert's body whipped up into a frenzy. A ball of rainbow colored energy surrounded Swampert before exploding, revealing a new form to the whole world.

"Wonderful!" Adan said while clapping. "Beautiful!"

"Meet Mega Swampert! My team's key to victory!"

Adan stopped clapping, and his expression became serious. "We'll see. Hydro Pump!"

Kingdra unleashed a blast of water from its mouth, destroying the icy path that Swampert had created.

"Protect!"

Swampert raised his arms, creating a blue shield in front of his body. The water bounced off of the attack, and then Swampert dove into the water.

"Rain Dance!" Adan called.

"Mud Bomb!"

Kingdra quickly released a ball of fog from its snout into the air, causing artificial rain to fall onto the stage. Swampert suddenly emerged, tossing a ball of mud that he created towards the Dragon-type, but Kingdra was quick, easily avoiding the attack.

"With Rain Dance, I've increased the power of my Water-type moves," Adan said. "Kingdra is now the most dangerous fish in the pond."

"We'll have to see about that," Logan muttered.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Muddy Water!"

Kingdra unleashed a strong stream of water from its mouth while Swampert focused his energy. The water around him swirled and then shot into the air. Hydro Pump connected with the muddied water, destroying Swampert's attack. The concentrated stream then blasted against Swampert, making the Mega Evolved Pokémon fall back into the water.

"Alright," Logan said. "Let's get in close! Mud Bomb!"

"If they're going to fight that way, let's use Dragon Pulse!"

The two Pokémon swam forward, Swampert moving at an incredible speed. They both jumped out of the water and tossed two balls of energy at one another, one made of mud and the other made of arcane fire. The energy collided and exploded, tossing both of the Pokémon backwards.

"They're even," Himawari said. "This is simply going to come down to which trainer is better."

"Adan has the experience, but Logan has the heart!" Yurie said. She stood up and cupped her hands to her mouth. "You can do this Swampert!"

"Ice Beam!" the trainers ordered in unison.

Both of the Pokémon formed crystallized energy in front of their mouths and then unleashed the jagged beam across the pool, freezing most of the battlefield. The attacks collided and exploded, but both trainers were ready for it.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Get in close and use Protect!"

As Kingdra unleashed his pressurized water blast, destroying its half of the ice field, Swampert jumped forward. He made it about halfway before stopping and forming his blue forcefield. Hydro Pump connected, causing the shield to explode, but the Water-type attack was still deflected.

Looks like I can't use Protect anymore. Logan thought. "Muddy Water!"

"Ice Beam!"

Once again, the water around Swampert swirled into a whirlpool, and he made it soar into the air, creating a wave of dirty water. Kingdra unleashed his beam, freezing the water in place.

"Dragon Pulse!"

Kingdra bounded forward and formed a ball of blue fire in front of its face. It released the ball, destroying the frozen wave of mud. From the rubble, Swampert appeared. In his arms, he held a giant ball of mud. He tossed it at Kingdra, and the mud exploded on contact, but before the Dragon-type could fly back, Swampert grabbed hold of its tail.

"Ice Beam!" Logan yelled at the top of his lungs.

Swampert then unleashed one more light blue beam of ice at close-ranged. The attack sent Kingdra soaring through the air and crashing into the wall behind Adan. Kingdra then sank into the water and floated back to the surface unconscious.

The referee raised his flags. "Kingdra is unable to battle! Swampert is the winner, which means that Logan Stephenson is the victor!"

The crowd clapped and cheered while Himawari and Yurie danced with joy. Logan leaned onto his crutch and sighed with relief. Suddenly, his platform started to move slowly along with Adan's. The two met in the middle of the battlefield face to face.

"Logan," Adan said, now holding a microphone. "Today's battle truly showed me that passion that you have for Pokémon. It gives me great honor to present your final badge in Hoenn, the Rain Badge."

Logan smiled as he took the badge in his hand. He held it high into the air. "I did it!" The crowd cheered once more.

"I look forward to seeing you perform in the Ever Grande Conference. May your Pokémon take you to victory!" Adan exclaimed. "Everyone, give it up for Logan Stephenson!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Finally! Now onto what will probably be the hardest arc to write. It's time for Yurie's Hoenn Grand Festival. Early predictions for how she'll do? There will be quite a few returning characters that I've written in some of the contests from before.


	50. Relax! Time to Cooldown

**Chapter 50 - Relax! Time to Cooldown.**

* * *

"Too bad we can't surf on the Mantine," Yurie said as the three started to board the ferry that would take them to Slateport.

"I wish we could call on Rayquaza to take us," Himawari said. "I probably could! Because, ya know, I have-"

"Don't say it."

"-dragon's blood."

Logan laughed. "Well, at least if we're going by ferry, you'll be able to practice a bit on the deck. And I can relax for awhile."

Yurie looked at the pamphlet with information about the ferry. "It looks like they serve a special soba! And there's a movie theater too!"

"If you eat special soba, then your bones will heal in no time!" Himawari said while he patted Logan on the back. "Let's get going."

* * *

"Your honor, the evidence is clear. We have countless eye witness accounts from every gym leader in Hoenn and even the Elite Four. Maxie, Archie, and their cohorts are guilty. They created two cults and conspired to destroy the Hoenn region. This is an open and shut case."

"Objection!"

Logan sighed and he turned off the TV. He sat back in his bed and looked at his badge case. It held all eight of his gym badges that he had earned over the course of the last nine months. Originally, he wasn't planning on competing in Hoenn, but he was glad that he did. He then glanced at his bracelet with his Swampertite locked in tightly.

"I bet Birch will be delighted."

* * *

On the deck of the ferry, Yurie placed a silver bracelet around her wrist. She raised it into the air and looked at it closely. "Not really my style, but if it'll help, it'll help."

"Steven really just gave you that, huh?" Himawari wondered. "I was the one who saved the day, but everyone else got cool gifts."

"But you got dragon's blood!"

"I do."

Yurie placed her newly acquired Aggronite, a stone with different shades of grey, into the bracelet, and it started to glow.

"Okay! Let's do this!" she yelled out. Aggron roared and prepared to take his new form. She pushed onto the stone as Aggron let out another roar, but nothing happened. The two of them stood still and in silence. Aggron turned and gave a curious look to his trainer.

"Wow!" Himawari said. He started clapping as fast as he could. "That's crazy!"

"Shut up. It didn't work. Why didn't it work?"

"Maybe it's broken?"

"I don't think so. I could feel the energy flowing through my body," Yurie explained. She looked at Aggron. "We'll figure it out, buddy!" Aggron laughed nervously and then scratched the back of his head. Yurie turned to her other Pokémon. She knelt down and played with Turtwig's tiny leaves. "Okay, now it's time to finally work with little Turtwig!" Her Pokémon cheered, and she pulled out her Pokédex.

"Turtwig. Level 5. Known moves: Tackle, Withdraw, and Superpower," the Pokédex chimed.

"Superpower?! What?!" Himawari yelled.

"Is that good?" Yurie wondered.

Himawari nodded his head quickly. "For a baby Pokémon, it's really good! Turtwig must of had some extraordinary parents!"

"I see. Well, we need to give her one more move if we want to make here viable," Yurie said as she looked through Logan's TM case. "I can teach her Fire Blast!"

* * *

"There's something I've been wanting to tell you," a woman in a large red coat said. She stared a man wearing a business suit. Rain fell onto both of them, but only the man held an umbrella. They stood fair distance apart from one another.

"What is it, Mami-chan?" the man asked.

"I-I think I've fallen in love with you," she said.

The man stayed quiet.

"I think I've always felt this way."

The man turned away. "It's too late. I'm getting married tomorrow."

Logan groaned as he sat in the movie theater. "This sucks," he grumbled. He looked at one of the lower seats. A couple were in each other's arms, their lips locked together. Logan stuck out his tongue and then laughed.

Mightyena glanced at Logan and then yawned.

"I agree. Let's get out of here."

* * *

"Turtwig, use Tackle!" Yurie ordered.

"Koiru, stay put!" Himawari said as seriously as he could. He stifled his laughter.

As Turtwig started to run forward, Himawari's Magneton stayed still. Turtwig ran her body into Magneton, but it did not do much, if anything.

"Koiru, use Tiny Tri-Attack!"

Magneton moved its body forward and released a small spark of energy towards Turtwig.

"Withdraw!"

Turtwig's limbs were pulled into her shell and she ducked her head. The sparks from Magneton's attack hit directly, and the Grass-type wailed. She fell back, but quickly recovered and then glared at her opponent.

"Let's try Superpower!"

"Turtwig!" the Pokémon cried out while charging up energy within her body. She started to glow with a red aura, and then she ran forward. Once again, she tackled into Magneton, but this time, the Steel-type shot backwards.

Himawari and Magneton both looked at Turtwig in surprise. Himawari turned to Magneton and then winked. Magneton nodded and then floated to the ground.

"You did it!" Yurie yelled out. She ran to Turtwig and held her close. "You're so strong!"

Himawari laughed. "You got me, Turtwig." Magneton floated back into the air and pretended to be injured. "But really, that was a surprisingly strong Superpower. You may have something worthwhile using."

"How's the training going?" Logan called as he slowly limped up the stairs. He took a few deep breaths and then used his crutches to climb the final step. "The movie theater is great, by the way."

"I've finally gotten to working with Turtwig. We're seeing some progress."

Logan looked at Turtwig and smiled. "Don't you think that having Turtwig perform at such a high level is a bit risky?"

Yurie bent over and pet Turtwig on her leaves. "It is, but if it's in the Performance Stage, it doesn't matter what level the Pokémon is at. All that matters is how good the appeal is."

"Well, you have two weeks to prepare. And, we'll help you," Logan exclaimed. "Two weeks of intense training can turn a baby Pokémon into a true blue fighter!"

Turtwig cried out happily. She still didn't understand what they were talking about, but she was joyful nonetheless.

The trip to Slateport City took a whole day, and they arrived early in the morning. The trainers sluggishly walked to the Pokémon Center, and they noticed that Slateport had changed slightly. It was still as quiet as ever, but now it was now covered in red lanterns that hung from wires. Posters advertising the upcoming event were everywhere, and the city had become a lot more colorful.

"Slateport was where I won my first ribbon," Yurie told Himawari. "It feels right to be performing here again."

The group made it to the Pokémon Center and approached the desk where Nurse Joy was patiently waiting for them.

"Do you happen to be performing in the Hoenn Grand Festival?" Nurse Joy asked.

Yurie nodded. "Yep!"

Nurse Joy smiled. "I actually saw you on TV, so I already knew, but it's appropriate to ask. In one week, the small villages around the stadium will open, and you'll be allowed to stay there with your friends. It's high class luxury for the coordinators who are competing."

"High class?!" Yurie squeaked. "Imagine all of the food we can eat!"

Logan laughed. "Living it large."

The next few days were filled with constant training. Yurie and her Pokémon would wake up early, train until lunch, and then train some more. She'd reserve the night time for her Pokémon to rest and for the group to enjoy the festival activities in Slateport. But the next day, it was back to intense training.

"Aggron!" her Pokémon called. He lifted his arm, and Turtwig rammed her tiny body into it. Aggron lifted his other arm, and Turtwig repeated her action. The two spared nonstop, Aggron taking on an older brother-role for the younger Pokémon.

"Minun, Electro Ball! Masquerain, Air Slash!"

"Duskull, use Dark Pulse! And Manectric, follow with Discharge!"

All four of the Pokémon unleashed their attacks. The Electro Ball was swept up by Masqerian's wind energy, making it move faster. It collided with the combined attacks of Logan's Pokémon, causing an explosion. Once the smoke faded away, all four of the Pokémon collapsed.

"I think that's enough training for today," Yurie said. She walked out to the field and picked up Minun. "You've all done so great!"

"I can see that you've gotten stronger," a voice called from behind. The group turned to find two familiar faces. Both Michika and Yui stood in the backdoorway of the Pokémon Center.

Michika had her usual wide smile and bright eyes. Her pitch black hair was now cut short to only fall under her jawline, and she wore a loose yellow dress.

Yui had her dark brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. She wore a red tank top and a short jean skirt. She had a cocky smile on her face.

"I was wondering where you both were!" Yurie said. She ran to her sister and friend. "How was training?"

Yui flexed what she had of arm muscles and smiled. "My Pokémon are more than ready!"

Michika giggled. She held Piplup in her arms. "And I think we're good to go. Piplup is itching to battle."

"Piplup!"

"Torchic!"

"Only a little while longer," Yurie said.

The next few days were more of the same. The three girls trained together. They knew that the best way to get stronger would be to face other coordinators, and they trusted one another to not share battle secrets.

When the time came, the villages opened, and all of the coordinators were called. Slateport was now a bustling, loud city, and the villages were packed with coordinators and tourists alike. Yurie, Michika, and Yui all got their rooms, and they made their way to the five star hotel.

"Sugoi!" the three girls cried out as they saw the sizes of the beds.

"Glad that we get to stay here too," Himawari said. He sat on the bed and bounced up and down. "I feel like a rockstar."

Yui glared at him. "You stay in the room next to ours! Logan too!"

"What?! Why?!" Himawari yelled.

Logan shook his head. "You dolt."

After the group got settled in their rooms, they went to the restaurant where they could eat for free. The line was long though, and they had to wait outside for what felt like hours.

"I'm so hungry…" Yurie groaned.

"You're always hungry," Yui replied. She laughed and then looked up. Her smile slowly faded into a shocked expression, and she lightly pulled on Yurie's shoulder. Yurie turned her attention, and a big smile came across her face.

A few yards away stood a woman in a white dress holding two bouquets. She had short hair and a gentle smile. The two sisters broke from the line and ran as fast as their thin legs could take them. They embraced the woman tightly, and Yurie began to cry tears of joy.

"Mama," she said. "I've missed you! I've missed you so much!"

"Be careful of the flowers, dear," Yuriko said. "I've missed you too."

"Did you come to watch us?" Yui asked. Her mom nodded. "Thank you so much!"

"Not just me," Yuriko said. She turned, and the sisters past her.

A boy, about the same age as Logan but dressed much more stylishly in a blue shirt with grey jeans stood behind their mother. The girls screeched and scrambled once more before jumping onto the boy, making all three of them fall to the ground.

"Haruto!" Yurie cried out.

"It's been so long!" Yui squealed.

"My back," the boy groaned.

"Haruto?" Himawari wondered. Logan raised his shoulders in confusion.

"He's good-looking," Michika mumbled.

Himawari huffed. "Okay. No."

Yurie and Yui both stood up and helped the boy back to his feet.

"You should come meet our friends!" Yurie cried out. She grabbed the boy by the arm and dragged him to where they once stood in line. Her mother followed.

"Logan, Himawari, Michika, this is our older brother, Haruto!" Yui explained.

Haruto ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. "Nice to meet you."

Logan waved. "Yurie's mentioned you, I think."

"Logan, it's good to see you again," Yuriko said with a gentle smile. "Thank you for helping Yurie this whole time."

Haruto approached Logan and looked him dead in the eye. "I've heard that you've been training my sister."

Logan took a small step back. "Yeah. It's been a lot of fun."

"Keep your hands off of her," Haruto snapped. "Got it?"

"Uh-yeah," Logan mumbled. "Wait, what?"

"No funny business."

Himawari stepped in between the two of them. "Um, I'm the funny one. And trust me, this guy doesn't understand 'business' if you know what I mean."

"Haruto, not now," Yui said. She grabbed her brother by the shoulder. "Let's enjoy this time together!"

Haruto's glare slowly turned into a smile. "Yeah. Let's eat."

The group waited for another thirty minutes before they were allowed to enter the buffet. Yurie, Yui, and Michika ate as though they've never had a meal in their lives, and the boys looked on in disgust.

"Where do you put it?" Haruto asked. His two sisters were incredibly thin, but he couldn't tell how they stayed that way.

They all quickly finished their dinner and then returned to the village. Yuriko and Haruto were allowed to stay in the rooms with them. Haruto insisted on staying with Logan and Himawari. He planned to give them the big brother talk later.

"Everyone going to bed?" Yuriko asked. She had already changed into her pajamas, and she was ready for sleep. "Things are going to get serious soon, so you need to get as much sleep as you can."

"We know…" Yui grumbled.

Yuriko smiled. She looked at her three children. "It's been so long since I've seen all three of you in one place. It warms my heart to know that two of you will be competing together."

The three siblings all smiled at one another. The three of them hadn't realized how much they missed each other until that day.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Welp. It's time for the Hoenn Grand Festival. It'll span over a few chapters, and they're going to be lengthy. I'll be writing most of Yurie's, Michika's, and Yui's appeals and matches. And then three OC's that have been given to me by readers will also return.

*takes a deep breath* Let's do this.


	51. Appeal! Dazzle With One Move!

**Chapter 51 - Appeal! Dazzle With One Move!**

* * *

It was the morning of the first day of the Hoenn Grand Festival. As the three girls prepared in their hotel room, everyone else went to the village diner.

"They said they don't want us to see them before they appeal. Maybe something to do with nerves," Haruto exclaimed as he put some fried egg into his mouth.

His mother nodded. "I think that they want us to see them in their new dresses for the first time on the stage."

"Dresses?" Logan wondered.

Haruto pointed his chopsticks at Logan. "Don't get too excited about the thought of my sister in a dress, Logan."

Himawari thought about it for a moment. In his mind, Yui wore a form fitting red dress that fell to just above the knee. He wiped drool from his mouth. "Yui in a dress…"

The four made their way to the stadium where they found seats near the middle. Pokémon were not allowed to have their own seats this time around, so Mightyena had to sit on the floor in front of Logan.

Once it was time, the lights over the crowd went dark, and the stage lit up. A woman with light brown hair wearing a purple top and a light pink dress came onto the stage holding a microphone. "Hello, one and all! Welcome to the first day of the Hoenn Grand Festival!"

The crowd clapped and cheered.

"My name is Vivian Meridian, and I'm going to be the master of ceremonies for this event. I'm joined by our judges, Adan, the Sootopolis City Gym Leader, the Sootopolis City's Nurse Joy, and a very special guest, Champion Wallace!" she announced.

Once more, the crowd clapped and cheered, but this time, they were much louder as the three judges were revealed.

"People from Hoenn really do love contests," Logan noted. "The strongest gym leader and even the champion are here today."

"All of the coordinators that you will see here today have had to be amazing to get this far. Please give a round of applause for them!" Vivian said. She waited for the cheers to die down. "But of course, this is the Hoenn Grand Festival, and it won't be easy moving forward. This will be their hardest challenge yet. Most of the trainers won't even make it past the first round." A hush went over the crowd. "Our first round is different from the regular Performance Stage. We have over one hundred and fifty performers today, and it would take us days to get through a regular appeal session with all of them. To compensate for this, in our preliminary round, you must appeal to the judges with only one move!"

"One move?" Himawari yelled. "How are they supposed to perform with only one move?!"

"You must strike a perfect balance of grace and power. Your entrance, execution, and every millisecond of the performance must be done with maximum grace and power. You will also be judged on your bond and how well you interact with your Pokémon. All of this must show through with one move."

"They're not playing around," Haruto commented.

"Only sixty-four trainers can advance. Now, let's begin!" Vivian announced. "Our first contestant is from Hoenn. Please welcome to the stage, Kawahara Yui!"

A panel in the floor of the middle of the stage opened, and Yui was lifted up. Her short brown hair was pulled back and braided, and she wore a red poofy dress that had white ribbon running through it. She appeared calm, and held her Poké Ball into the air.

"A pro," her mother said. She held back tears.

"Plusle, let's show them what we can do!" Yurie called while she elegantly tossed the Poké Ball into the air. Plusle exploded from the ball, did a backflip, and then landed on her hand. The two posed as the crowd cheered. "Don't hold back; show them Thunder!"

Yui tossed Plusle high into the air, and the small Pokémon twisted his body. It was as though time stopped when he reached the peak of his aerial adventure. He charged energy within his body and then unleashed it, creating a crashing noise that washed over the entire crowd. The electric energy that exploded from Plusle lit up the whole stadium for a moment, and he then fell back towards the ground. Yui caught him with one arm, did a twirl, and then held him high once more. The crowd cheered as the two posed.

"Wonderful!" Vivian said. "Absolutely wonderful! That's what we're looking for, trainers!"

Yui bowed, and then she returned to the backroom through a small tunnel while the next contest was revealed.

"One move is all it takes to dazzle the crowd if you're a good enough coordinator," Haruto said. "I have all the faith in the world in my sisters."

Himawari looked at Logan. "You think Yurie will be okay?"

Logan nodded. "She'll be fine."

Many other performers did their appeals, and a lot of them amazed the crowd. A few of the coordinators cracked under the pressure, and it was clear that most of them would not be moving onto the next round. Eventually, Imamura Michika's name was called.

Michika appeared in the middle of the stage, and she slowly bowed. She wore a blue dress, and her short black hair was pinned back with white ribbons. She gripped her Poké Ball in an odd fashion and then tossed it towards the ground. It bounced off of the floor, a Pokémon with a round head and a body made of ribbon appeared, and then the ball returned to her.

"That was a baseball throw," Himawari muttered. "Cool."

"Chimecho, use Heal Bell!"

A blue energy started to radiate off of the Pokémon as it waved its body from side to side. Chimecho started to chant its name softly, and the energy's power increased. Slowly, she began to float higher into the air, and soon, the energy filled the whole stage, and then it made its way to the crowd. The crowd all simultaneously felt at ease, and they all clapped as the blue energy fell from the air and then slowly dissipated. Chimecho came back to the ground and bowed alongside Michika.

"So nice," Vivian said calmly. "An elegant move, but it's clear that the Pokémon would have to be a high enough level to pull it off at that scale. Good job, Michika!"

Michika returned as the next trainer was called. She was met by Yui in the hallway, and the two celebrated quietly.

"So far, so good," Logan said. "Now we just have to wait for Yurie and her performance."

More coordinators performed, and the first day was nearing its end. Finally, the name Kawahara Yurie was called.

The hole in the middle of the stage opened, and Yurie appeared. Her long dark brown hair was curled and held back with a pin that resembled Masquerain. She wore a simple white dress that went all the way to her ankles with a cream-colored short sleeved top. Around her waist was a white sash tied into a ribbon that fell to her knees.

_She's gorgeous._ Logan thought. He sat forward and put his elbows on his knees. Haruto glared at him, but Logan was too preoccupied didn't notice.

Yurie took in a deep breath and then raised her Poké Ball into the air with both of her hands. She twirled her body around and then released her Pokémon. With a loud crashing _bang_, Aggron appeared on the stage. The crowd were shocked into silence by the appearance of the strong Pokémon.

"What will she do?" Logan wondered.

Yurie raised her hand into the air, revealing that she was still wearing her bracelet. She lightly pushed on the white and silver stone that was inside of it, and it started to glow. Aggron roared as the energy shifted within the stadium. Wind whipped up in front of Yurie and Aggron, blowing her hair back. An enormous ball of energy formed around the entirety of Aggron's body, absorbing him, and for one second, it was as though all the air had been sucked out of the stadium. The ball exploded, revealing Aggron's new form, and he roared. The crowd looked upon the new Pokémon with shock on their faces, and they slowly started to clap and cheer. Soon, the entire stadium erupted into noise for the loudest reaction of the day.

"Excellent!" Vivian screamed into the microphone. "I'm not quite sure what just happened, but we could all feel it! Without saying a single word, Yurie was able to show us what kind of power her Aggron is capable of. Whatever this move is, it has left us amazed!"

Yurie smiled. "Just have to make it through. They don't know anything yet."

Yurie and Aggron bowed, and she withdrew him to his Luxury Ball before returning to the hallway. She was greeted by Michika and Yurie.

"That was risky, but I think it worked," Yui exclaimed.

"You and Aggron looked great! We could really feel your energy all the way from back here!" Michika said excitedly.

Yuriko looked at Haruto. "Do you know what that was?"

Haruto still appeared to be in disbelief. "I can honestly say that I have no idea."

Logan grinned. "Yurie is full of surprises."

The last few trainers were called to do their appeals, and by the time the preliminary round was finished, everyone was exhausted. The judges talked with one another, and it was soon time to announce the results.

"Coordinators, only sixty-four of you were allowed to move on, but I want you all to know that we were absolutely amazed by your performances today. We believe that you did a wonderful job, and I wish that we could continue to see you perform forever," Vivian said. "But alas, it is time to announce the sixty-four that we'll see move on!"

Multiple faces of the trainers appeared on the giant screen, and it slowly revealed every trainer one by one. Yui was immediately shown, and Michika's face soon followed. It came to everyone's relief that Yurie's face appeared near the end. All three made it through.

"They did it," Himawari said with a sigh. "They actually did it."

Logan laughed and then hugged his Mightyena. "I didn't doubt them for one second!"

"Before we let you go, let me explain the rules of tomorrow's appeal," Vivian said. The crowd started to calm down. "Tomorrow will be an extension of today's Performance Stage. Each appeal will be given three minutes, and you are to perform as many dazzling moves as you can within that time. The judges will then give you a score out of one hundred, and the top thirty-two coordinators will move forward to the Battle Stage."

"A three minute appeal?" Yui wondered. "Sounds like it can be a bit difficult."

"Good luck, coordinators! We'll see you tomorrow!"

"You all did so great!" Yuriko screamed as she ran to go and meet her daughters. She gave them both hugs and tried to hold them high, but she was too weak.

"Thanks mom!" Yurie managed to squeak.

"Tomorrow will be intense. You both need to be in top shape," Haruto said. "I suggest a big meal tonight and then training!"

Yui frowned. "Relax, Haruto. We'll be okay."

"But I say that we still do that big meal!" Michika chimed in.

The group all went to the same restaurant from previous, but this time, the line was much shorter, and they were able to get a table in a short time. In celebration, the group clanged together their glasses of soda. Yuriko, being an adult, partook in what was called umeshu. The group ate their fill while Yuriko drank maybe a little bit too much, finding herself crapulous by the end of the night. Her kids helped walk her to her hotel room, and then everyone met on the roof. They looked out at the lights of the village.

"I'm sad I didn't get to experience this last year," Yui said. "But I'm glad that the first time I experience it is with all of you."

Yurie grinned from ear to ear. "Me too! We should definitely keep doing our best so then the fun doesn't stop!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

And so concludes the first part of the Hoenn Grand Festival. I was originally going to make it only three parts, but since three main characters are performing, there are a lot of appeals and battles, so we're going to take it slow and see where it gets us. The next chapter will feature the last of the Performance Stage, and if that's not enough to fill a chapter, then we'll get one of the battles probably.


	52. Appeal! Three Minutes of Madness!

**Chapter 52 - Appeal! Three Minutes of Madness!**

* * *

"Everyone, welcome Kawahara Yurie to the stage!" Vivian's voice announced.

The crowd loudly cheered as Yurie ran to the stage in her white dress. She replaced her white sash from before and now wore a black one around her waist. When she reached her position, she held her Poké Ball into the air.

"Turtwig, let's do this!" she yelled. Her Pokémon appeared, did multiple flips, and then landed on the ground. Turwig lifted one of her arms into the air and waved it playfully. The crowd clapped and cheered.

"Really going with Turtwig?" Himawari wondered. He looked at Logan. "Does she have a plan?"

Logan nodded. "Those two weeks were really good for Turtwig."

"Three minutes on the clock! Begin!"

The sound of the clock echoed throughout the stadium, and Yurie began her instructions.

"Start with Double Team!"

Turtwig opened her mouth and let out a soft cry before she started to multiply. Within seconds, about thirty or so Turtwig formed a giant circle on the stage.

"Incredible speed," Haruto muttered.

"Energy Ball!" Yurie ordered.

All of the Turtwig opened their mouths and started to create green energy. The energy focused and condensed, turning into perfect balls.

"Release!"

All of the Turtwig unleashed their attacks at once, and the Energy Balls met in the middle of the stage. They collected and began to form one giant ball of green energy. Soon enough, there was a super Energy Ball floating above the stage.

"Let's get back to one!" Yurie said.

Turtwig nodded, and all of the clones disappeared one by one, absorbing into one another. A lone Turtwig stood at the front of the stage, facing the giant ball of swirling energy.

"Hit it with Razor Leaf!"

Turtwig jumped into the air and span her body in circles. Leaves sharp as knives released from her body and jabbed into the ball of energy. Soon, the ball of energy with all of the leaves jutting out of it stopped swirling and stood still. It slowly fell from the air and landed softly on the ground.

Yurie looked up at the time, noticing that she only had roughly a minute left.

"Give it all you got! Use Superpower!"

"Turtwig!" the Pokémon cried out as she absorbed red energy into her body. Her body became enveloped with the red energy, and she then shot forward. She jumped into the ball of green energy and unleashed her power. In a flash of bright light, the green ball exploded, causing what looked like fireworks to appear over the stage. Turtwig remained still as they popped, and she had a cocksure look over her face.

"Great," Yurie said quietly.

"You couldn't tell from Turtwig's amazing power, but that's a baby Pokémon that we all just witnessed today," Vivian informed the crowd. "It looks like she was able to implement all four of her moves within a three minute time limit and pull off a wonderful appeal. How do the judges feel?"

Wallace pushed a button on his podium. Yurie's face appeared with a score of 85 to the side, making the crowd cheer.

"Eight-five is better that most of them so far. Now we just have to hope that the other coordinators aren't great," Himawari said.

Logan looked at his fingers. He was attempting to keep track of all the previous scores. "I'm not good at math."

Yurie ran to the back and met with her friends. Michika and Yurie gave her high fives, and two familiar faces from former contests approached her: Alison with her Eevee on her shoulder and Naomi with her bobbed haircut and her white wooly Pokémon at her side.

Alison had her hair tucked back into a white ribbon headband. She had on lace bodice over a white t-shirt and a skirt that fell to her knees. Naomi was dressed in clothes that looked foreign to Hoenn, but Yurie had seen it before in magazines. She wore a hanbok complete with a forest green jacket, white undershirt, and a black dress. Her small feet were fitted with what appeared to be rubber shoes.

The two had already done their appeals, both hitting a score of 90. Far away sat John Manson, who wore a regular black suit. He had scored 80 and was sulking a little bit.

"You did wonderful," Alison said. "I'm glad that you made it this far."

Naomi nodded. Her expression was deadpan, but her voice was bright and happy. "I was worried about you because of our contest, but it looks like you pulled yourself together."

The contestant after Yurie's appeal finished his performance, and it was Yui that was called up next.

"Wish me luck!" she said as she ran down the hallway.

Yurie smiled. "You don't need it!"

"Kawahara Yui!" Vivian announced as appeared from the hallway. The crowd cheered once more but went silent when Yui approached the middle of the stage. She tossed her Poké Ball high into the air, and it exploded, revealing Beautifly.

"Start charging Solar Beam!"

Beautifly nodded and started to absorb what light was in the stadium.

"In the meantime, show the crowd your Bug-type pride! Bug Buzz!" Yui instructed.

Beautifly twisted her body and then flew to the middle of the stage. She extended her wings and fluttered them quickly, sending a green energy soaring from her body. The energy took the shape of a larger Beautifly the size of the stage.

"Looks like a kaiju from those Kanto movies," Logan commented.

"Disappear!" Yui called.

Beautifly backed up, disappearing into the energy.

"Air Cutter!"

The giant Beautifly of energy flapped its wings once, creating the air in the building to blow wildly.

"Now, Giga Drain!"

Slowly, the giant Beautifly started to shrink in size. Its body was seemingly being absorbed by an invisible vortex, and soon enough, only the regular sized Beautifly remained, her body glowing from the green energy.

"Perfect! Use that energy for Ultimate Solar Beam!"

"Beauty!" the Pokémon cried out as it released a yellow energy from her body. The energy was a straight massive pillar of light, and it soon spread out all over the stadium. Once everyone could open their eyes again, they could find Beautifly basking in the light of her own attack.

The buzzer sounded, and everyone applauded.

"I have never seen an appeal quite like that one!" Vivian said. "I'm at an absolute loss of words! Judges?"

Wallace and the other judges were consulting with each other, and they all nodded. Wallace smiled at Yui before pushing his button. Next to Yui's face on the board appeared a perfect score of 100.

"What?! One hundred points?!" Vivian screeched. "This is unprecedented! It looks like no matter what, Yui will be advancing to the Battle Stage now."

Yui and Michika cheered and jumped up and down in the hallway as Yui returned.

"I can't believe I scored that high!" Yui exclaimed.

"I can!" Yurie said. "You did awesome!"

Yui turned to Beautifly, and they did a small fistbump. "You're wonderful, Beautifly."

The three went back to the locker room where Allison and Naomi were waiting.

"Where'd you get that idea from?" Naomi asked.

Yui grinned. "Watching some Galar battles gave me a few ideas."

One after another, the other contestants made their appeals. Eventually, the sixty-fourth, and last, competitor's name was called, Michika.

Michika took a deep breath and smiled at her friends. "Watch and learn!" She laughed and then sprinted down the hallway.

"Welcome our final contestant for today, Imamura Michika!"

The crowd cheered for her, but after a full day of appeals, their energy was starting to wane. Michika smiled at the crowd, hoping that her own happy energy could rub off on them.

"Begin!"

"Pachirisu, let's show 'em your game face!" Michika exclaimed as she tossed her Poké Ball into the air. "Hyper Fang!"

Pachirisu let out a howl as though she had been taken over by another being and opened her mouth wide. Her two sets of teeth on the upper and bottom jaw extended, creating what appeared to be two large sabers coming from her mouth.

"Scary…" Himawari muttered.

"Start Thunder Punch!"

Pachirisu lifted her right arm, and sparks started to emit from it. The sparks built up, and Pachirisu began to cackle wildly.

"Discharge!"

Pachirisu continued cackling as she sent blue electricity from body, making the energy on her hand grow even bigger, forming an abnormally large ball.

"Sky High Thunder Punch!"

Pachirisu started laughing wildly as she twisted her body around. Her tail started to glow white, and she smashed it hard against the ground, making a sound of steel smacking into steel. This motion sent Pachirisu soaring through the air, and she soon started falling downwards. The electricity that she held in her hand grew in size as she cackled maniacally. She then came crashing down, creating an explosion of electricity. When the light faded away, Pachirisu stood in the middle of the stage, hugging her own tail and making a cute face.

The crowd all started to laugh and then began to cheer once more.

"How deceiving!" Vivian yelled. "Michika had us all going there for one second. We all believed that Pachirisu was possessed, or was that just me?"

The crowd all laughed once more as the judges discussed with one another. Soon enough, Wallace pushed his button and 86 appeared next to Michika's face.

"One above Yurie," Logan commented.

The crowd cheered as Michika bowed and then ran to the backroom. The lights went dark, and the board lit up. Vivian's voice sounded through the stadium.

"Good work trainers! But it is time to announce the thirty-two contestants that will be moving forward! Tomorrow we will start the Battle Stage, so let's get a good look at the bracket!"

All three girls' faces appeared on the bracket. Yui was on the far right and her opponent was a boy that none of them had ever seen before. Michika was set to battle with Naomi. And on the far left was Yurie's face placed next John Manson.

Yurie looked over at John who sat looking at the ground with a smirk on his face. A chill came over her body, and she became nervous. Michika put her hand on Yurie's shoulder.

"Remember, a Pokémon Contest is not all about power. It's about dazzling the judges and acting as a unit with your Pokémon. John may be the strongest trainer here, but you have the heart of a Pokémon Coordinator!" she said.

Yurie smiled. "Let's do this!"

The Kawahara family decided to spend that night together while Logan, Himawari, and Michika all explored Slateport City. Because Yui and Yurie were both competing, they were able to go to a five star restaurant where they could sit outside and enjoy the cool weather.

"So, this John guy… Is he strong?" Haruto asked.

Yurie nodded. "Yeah. He beat me pretty bad awhile back, but I think I've learned."

"And your two other friends?" Yui wondered.

"Alison and Naomi! They're good, but I haven't seen them at their best."

Yui sighed. "This is going to be intense…"

"But that's when battling is most fun," Haruto declared.

"I'm just excited to see you both get this far!" Yuriko said. "It reminds me of when I was a trainer!"

Yurie laughed. "Were you a strong trainer?"

She shook her head. "Not at all."

The family all laughed and then went silent.

"Logan..." Haruto said. He leaned forward. "What's his deal?"

"What deal?"

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

Yurie shook her head. "I don't think so."

"I see…"

"Which is a relief for Yurie!" Yui chimed in. "She's in love!"

"Yeah she is!" their mother cheered. She had been drinking a little bit.

Haruto shook his head. "I don't approve of you two."

Yurie glared. "Well, it doesn't matter if you approve or not. Nothing is going on between us." They went quiet for a moment. "And besides… we're going to go our separate ways soon."

"You think so?" Yui asked.

Yurie nodded. "Yeah. He's just here to support me, and when it's all over, we're going to different regions, I think. I'm not sure."

Yui sat back. "That's a little sad. But maybe I can travel with him then! He's really cute!"

Yurie didn't respond. She just thought about what would happen once her little adventure was over.

* * *

"I saw how you looked at her yesterday," Himawari told Logan as the two entered into the public bath at the hotel. "You got all red faced and leaned in close to get a better look."

"For the last time, I don't have feelings for Michika," Logan groaned.

"Not Michika, my friend. Yurie."

"Oh," Logan muttered. "She was just really pretty in her white dress. I was surprised. The fashion in Hoenn is interesting to me."

"You don't even know your own feelings."

Logan shrugged. "I don't know." He sank into the deep end of the bath to his chin. "Let's just... enjoy this bath while we can."

Himawari grinned and ran his hand through his wet blonde hair. "I'm glad you finally came around to bathing."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I'm choosing to write out numbers when people speak, but when it is something like displaying a score on the board, I'll have the numbers (for example 100) as numbers. The only exception to the rule that I'm making is if they say "Top 4" or "Top 8" or whatever, it will have the number in that case, because it's sort of a title. So, all of this is intentional.

So, all three of the girls are moving on. Yurie will take on John Manson next round (the boy who gave her the Turtwig egg and knocked her out of the Pacifidlog Contest). I think this will be her strongest challenge yet, so I'm excited to write it.

Thanks to EeviumZ for Alison, wisdom-jewel for Naomi, and The Imprisoned of Hell for John.


	53. Top 32! Dazzle vs Brawn!

**Chapter 53 - Top 32! Dazzle vs. Brawn!**

* * *

It was the third day of the Hoenn Grand Festival, and all three girls had reached the Top 32. Yui easily defeated her opponent, but the time had come for Michika vs. Naomi. They both walked to the stage and received cheers. Michika had become a fan favorite in Hoenn while Naomi was popular because she was seen as a quirky foreigner. They walked to their respective ends of the stage and each revealed two Poké Balls.

"This will be a Top 32 match-up between Imamura Michika and Naomi Morgan! Let's begin!"

Michika twirled her Poké Balls and then tossed them into the air. The two Pokémon that she used for her appeals appeared: Chimecho and Pachirisu. On Naomi's side of the field, an Absol and Mawile materialized from the white light. All of the Pokémon taunted each other and prepared for battle.

"Absol, use Swords Dance! Mawile, start with Sweet Scent!"

Absol shook around her head, and her horn began to glow white while Mawile danced, releasing some red powder from her body which slowly started to fill the air.

"We can't let them get too strong!" Michika said. "Dazzling Gleam and Discharge!"

Pachirisu grabbed onto the bottom of Chimecho's body and was then tossed into the air. She unleashed blue electricity from her body while a bright light illuminated on top of Chimecho's head.

"Dodge it!" Naomi yelled.

Her Pokémon both jumped into the air, avoiding the Fairy-type attack, but then the electricity washed over their bodies, and they collapsed to the ground.

"Charge in with Thunder Punch!"

Pachirisu cackled as she ran forward with her fist jutted out. As the scent from Mawile's previous move washed over her, she started to slow down until she came to a complete stop to enjoy the nice aroma.

"Aerial Ace!" Naomi's voice called.

Absol appeared from seemingly nowhere and slashed downwards at Pachirisu. There was a small explosion, and the Electric-type flew into the air.

"Iron Head!"

As soon as Absol landed back onto the ground, Mawile ran towards Pachirisu with her head lowered.

"Protect!" Michika yelled.

Chimecho was quick and got in front of her ally. She let out a soft chime, creating a blue barrier of energy in front of both of them. Mawile's head bounced off of the barrier, and she stumbled back a few feet.

"Hyper Fang!"

Pachirisu ducked and then appeared from behind Chimecho's flowy body. She bared her fangs and then clamped her jaws down tightly onto the Steel-type.

"Get out of there with Flamethrower!"

The giant jaws on top of Mawile's raised into the air and pointed directly at both of Michika's Pokémon. They unhinged and released a blast of fire towards the ground. Both of the Pokémon were completely engulfed in fire, and they retreated backwards.

"Are you okay?" Michika asked. Her Pokémon nodded as Chimecho tried to wave some fire off of her body. She looked closely at her Pokémon who appeared to be slightly injured. "Heal Bell!"

Chimecho calmed down and then started to wave her body around, creating a blue energy of sorts. The energy washed over Pachirisu who then perked up and started to laugh maniacally at Mawile and Absol. The two Pokémon appeared slightly taken aback.

"Start Thunder Punch!"

Pachirisu began to charge energy in her right arm as she continued to laugh at her opponents.

"Add Discharge to it!"

The Electric-type cackled more as it sent its blue electricity surging through its body towards its hand. The electricity then exploded with different mixture of blue and yellow.

"Wait, that's what she did yesterday!" Naomi yelled. Her usual deadpan look left her face. "We have to act quickly! Fairy Wind! Aerial Ace!"

As Mawile released pink energy from her body, Absol ran forward. The wind caught onto Absol and carried her across the stage at a faster pace.

"Extrasensory!"

Chimecho flew towards Absol and chimed, unleashing psychedelic energy onto the stage. Absol was not phased by it, but Mawile stopped her attack when the energy collided with her Fairy Wind. Absol looked forward, but Pachirisu had disappeared. She heard maniacal cackling coming from the air, and everyone looked up.

"Bite!" Naomi ordered with a hint of desperation in her voice.

The sound was sucked out of the stadium as Pachirisu crashed into Absol. A ball of electricity enveloped both of them, and sound returned once it exploded. The next sound that reverberated through the dome was the buzzer. Everyone looked towards the board, noticing that Naomi's points were completely gone.

Naomi sighed. "I guess that's it for me."

"It looks like we have our winner! With brilliant teamwork by Pachirisu and Chimecho, Michika is able to pull off a victory by the skin of her teeth!" Vivian announced. "What an inspiring battle!"

Michika sighed with relief and then smiled. "Thanks for the battle, Naomi! It was fun!"

Naomi shrugged. "It wasn't bad, I guess."

"Michika is still as good as ever," Logan commented. "If Yurie ends up facing her, it won't be easy."

Haruto snorted. "So, now you start having doubts about my sister?"

"I didn't say that."

"Alright, everyone! It's time to move onto the next battle of the Top 16! It's a rematch from the final Pacifidlog Contest! Kawahara Yurie vs. John Manson!"

John smiled at Yurie as the two walked down the hallway. "Good luck, Yurie! I've been training pretty hard with my Pokémon."

Yurie nodded. "Me too. I'm going to give it my all."

As the two entered the stage, the crowd cheered. A good-looking foreigner and a hometown hero made for two popular contestants. They walked to their sides of the stage and prepared for what was sure to be an intense contest.

"Begin!"

"Go, Roserade and Crawdaunt!" John yelled as he threw two Poké Balls into the air. A Crawdaunt, which the group had become familiar with, appeared alongside a Pokémon with roses for hands. The two posed in an intimidating fashion and glanced out at Yurie.

"Show them what we can do!" Yurie called. Shuppet and Masquerain appeared on her side of the field and floated in the air while looking cautiously at their behemoths of opponents.

"Crawdaunt charge in with Crunch! Roserade, follow with Shadow Ball!"

As Crawdaunt ran forward, his claws started to take on a black energy to them. Meanwhile, Roserade formed a ball of dark energy at the tip of her roses, and she launched it towards Yurie's side.

"We'll fight back with our Shadow Bubblebeam!" Yurie declared.

"What?" Haruto questioned.

"She names her combination moves," Himawari explained quickly.

Shuppet created her own Shadow Ball attack and launched it forward. Masquerain's Bubblebeam followed, pushing it at a faster rate. The attack completely destroyed Roserade's attack and then connected with Crawdaunt, but the Dark-type Pokémon wasn't impressed. He continued on and then raised his pinsirs into the air. The energy for his Dark-type attack had become immense.

"Get out of there!" Yurie ordered, but it was too late.

The dark energy came down onto both of the Pokémon like a wave. Masquerain was able to escape with a slight scratch, and she flew into the air, but Shuppet was knocked backwards.

"Aerial Assault! Leaf Storm! Blizzard!"

Crawdaunt lifted his pinsirs and opened them wide, unleashing a wind with ice energy trapped inside into the air. Roserade followed by releasing a flurry of leaves from her body.

"Dodge!" Yurie instructed.

Masquerain continued to move in the air, attempting to get around both of the wild attacks, but it soon became clear that she couldn't keep up.

"Defensive Bug Buzz!"

Masquerain twisted her body around, and green energy exploded off her body, blowing back the two attacks. John looked at the Pokémon in amazement.

"Alright, let's refocus!" he said. He looked for Shuppet, but the Ghost-type was gone. "Wait? Where did it go?"

A purple portal suddenly appeared behind Roserade, and Shuppet emerged from it. Her body was radiating with a purple haze.

"Watch out!" John yelled.

"Phantom Force!"

The purple haze surrounded Masquerain and then exploded, sending the Grass-type into the air.

"Lay into it with Air Slash!" Yurie instructed.

Masquerain cried out as she released sharp white energy from her body. The energy collided with the aerial Roserade, and the Grass-type crashed hard into the ground. Masquerain and Shuppet celebrated, but then the appearance of a shadow startled them. They turned around and were face to face with Crawdaunt. In one of his pinsirs, he held a ball of purple goo.

"Sludge Bomb!" John commanded.

Crawdaunt clamped his pinsir shut, and the goo exploded, covering both Masquerain and Shuppet. They both flew back as they tried to shake it off, but it didn't leave easily. Yurie's Pokémon were now in the middle of both of John's.

"Dazzling Gleam! Liquidation!" John yelled.

Roserade danced around as a ball of light formed at her head while Crawdaunt unhinged one of his pinsirs once again. This time, water was unleashed onto the stage. The two attacks collided near Yurie's Pokémon, causing an explosion of smoke. When the smoke died down, both of Yurie's Pokémon were nowhere to be found.

"What?!" John yelled.

"Were they destroyed completely?" Himawari wondered.

"Phantom Ice Beam!" Yurie instructed.

The purple portal from before materialized, and Yurie's two Pokémon emerged. Masquerain opened her mouth and unleashed a white beam, blasting Crawdaunt in the back. Crawdaunt fell over, and the power of the attack turned the stage into an ice rink. Both of John's Pokémon struggled to stay standing.

"Poison Jab! Give her a throw!" John said.

His two Pokémon stumbled towards one another, and Crawdaunt lifted one of his pinsirs. He gripped onto Roserade and then tossed her forward. She soared across the stage with one of her arms jutting outwards.

"Sucker Punch!" Yurie yelled.

Shuppet floated towards Roserade, and before the two could connect, Shuppet ducked her head and swung her body into Roserade's jaw, making the Grass-type fly into the air. She crashed down hard, and John appeared to be flustered, unsure of what to order next.

The buzzer sounded and all of the Pokémon stopped moving. They were all exhausted, and had Yurie's Pokémon taken anymore hits, they would have more than likely fainted. Everyone looked up at the screen, noticing that Yurie had roughly 25 points left. John's bar was completely empty.

"It looks like the powerhouse from Unova has been knocked out by little miss Kawahara!" Vivian said into the microphone. "Moving onto the next round will be Kawahara Yurie!"

John fell to his knees and slowly lifted his two Poké Balls, returning the Pokémon. He let out a sigh and then glanced at Yurie. "I can't believe it."

Yurie slowly skated across the stage, and her Pokémon came to help hold her up. They all laughed as they celebrated with one another.

John and Yurie returned to the back together. John was oddly silent, and Yurie was afraid to say anything. Eventually, before they reached the backroom with all of the other coordinators, John spoke up.

"You did a good job today, Yurie," he said. "I won't lie though. I'm very disappointed in myself for losing. Maybe the grace that's necessary for contests just isn't my style."

"You can always compete next year, right?"

John thought for a moment. "Maybe. I'm not sure." He lightly banged his fist against the wall and then slowly took in a deep breath. "Two months. I have two months to get all of the Hoenn badges." He turned around and continued down the hallway. "Tell Logan that I'm coming for him. I won't hold back."

Yurie was confused. "Wait, what's going on?"

John, without a word, raised his hand and gave Yurie a thumbs up, and he eventually disappeared into the shadows of the hallway. Yurie shook her head and then went into the backroom. She was met by Yui and Michika who had huge grins on their faces.

"You did it!" they cried out together.

Yurie hugged them, and then they went into a small huddle. "It looks like we've all made it to the Top 16. Let's keep going until the finals!"

Michika and Yui nodded.

The other matches wrapped up quickly, and Vivian brought everyone's attention to the screen for the next day's matches. They were supposedly picked randomly every round.

"Oh no…" Himawari muttered as the next match-ups came up on the board.

"I guess I jinxed it," Logan said quietly.

One the far right side was Yui's face next to Alison Martin's, but on the far left was Yurie's and Michika's faces.

Yurie and Michika stared at the screen in disbelief. They then slowly looked at one another, and a fiery smile came across Michika's face. Yurie started to giggle. They lifted their arms and then gripped their hands as if they were going to go into an arm wrestling match.

"Good luck, Yurie."

"I don't need luck."

The matches that were set for the next day were sure to be intense.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

The next chapter is the one that I've been most excited for. Yurie vs. Michika II will be pretty intense, I think. I'm pumped! That chapter will be posted tomorrow, and then I'll get out Chapter 55 on Friday.

As always, thanks to Wisdom-Jewel for Naomi Morgan and The Imprisoned of Hell for John Manson. With John's declaration that he's going to compete in the Ever Grande Conference, there's a chance we'll see him once more.


	54. Rematch! A Rivalry Revisited!

**Chapter 54 - Rematch! A Rivalry Revisited!**

* * *

"So, they agreed to not talk to each other until after the battle?" Logan asked. He was walking to the stadium with Yui.

She nodded. "Yeah. They're being pretty mature about it all, but we can't forget that they are rivals. This match is important to both of them."

"You have a match with Alison today. She's no pushover. Her little Eevee can pack quite a punch," Logan said. "Be careful. I imagine that she has a few tricks up her sleeve."

* * *

"Everyone, one and all, welcome to day four of the Hoenn Grand Festival! We are now down to our Top 16, and the battles are sure to get even more intense from here on out! Our first battle is Littleroot Town's Kawahara Yui vs. Alison Martin from Kalos! Ladies, please make your way to the stage!" Vivian announced.

The crowd cheered as both Yui and Alison appeared and ran to their sides. Since Yui's 100 point appeal, she had become a fan favorite to win, and Alison was seen as a cute foreigner.

"Coordinators, let's put on a show! Give us your best! Begin!"

Yui lifted her two Poké Balls and tossed them with grace into the air. They both flew slowly and then exploded, revealing Beautifly and Delcatty to the world. The sight of Beautifly made the crowd cheer.

Alison's Pokémon appeared from the white light of the Poké Balls on her side of the stage. One was a humanoid Pokémon with a green head, and what looked like a white flowing dress for a body. The other was large and blue with a long neck. On the back of its neck, it had two multi-colored sails that flowed elegantly.

"They're so pretty…" Yui commented. "But my Pokémon fight with elegance and power!"

Alison grinned. "Let's do our best! Aurorus, start with Dark Pulse!"

The big Pokémon with the long neck stood up on her two back legs as dark energy formed at the tip of her front feet. She smashed her feet into the ground, blasting the dark energy across the stage.

"Into the air!" Yui ordered.

Beautifly grabbed ahold of Delcatty's tail and then lifted her into the air, avoiding the dark energy.

"Thunderbolt!"

Beautifly tossed Delcatty forwards, and the cat Pokémon unleashed electric sparks from her body. The sparks raced for Alison's Pokémon, but were seemingly stopped by an invisible barrier.

"What?!" Yui yelled.

"Aurorus, use Ancient Power!" Alison instructed.

The behemoth of a Pokémon focused her energy, and stones began to materialize around her body. She flung them into the air, and they came crashing down onto Delcatty and Beautifly, sending them into the ground.

Alison's other Pokémon then raised her arms, and her eyes started to glow. A ball of energy formed in the middle of her arms, and it took the shape of the moon. It shot into the air, and then slowly began to descend towards Yui's Pokémon.

"That's Moonblast!" Yui exclaimed. "Delcatty, fight back with your Giga Impact!"

Delcatty lowered her head and she bounded towards the moon. The two collided, and a bright light lit up the entire stadium before the moon energy exploded. Delcatty fell back but landed perfectly on her legs. She hissed at her opponents.

"Hyper Voice!" Alison said.

Her big Pokémon stepped forward and opened her mouth. She unleashed rings of white sound energy from her mouth, but they quickly took on ice as they flew through the air.

"Fight back with Bug Buzz!" Yui yelled.

Beautifly flew forward and started to flap her wings rapidly. Green energy exploded off of her body, colliding with Aurorus' attack. But the icy Hyper Voice was too strong, breaking through Bug Buzz and then blasting both of Yui's Pokémon directly. They flew back and landed on top of one another.

"Are you alright?" Yui asked. Her Pokémon responded by getting back up and howling. Yui sighed with relief. She looked up, noticing that she was already missing half of her points.

"Use Thunder Wave on Delcatty!" Alison's voice called.

Aurorus roared, sending a wave of electric energy from her mouth, but before it could hit Delcatty, Beautifly got in the way. Beautifly cried out and then slowly fell to the ground as her wings twitched.

"Not good…" Yui muttered. "Can you move, Beautifly?" Beautifly slowly nodded. "In that case, let's use Air Cutter!"

Beautifly screeched as she flew into the air. She unleashed white energy from her wings, but instead of hitting Alison's Pokémon, the energy hit the ground, causing a small explosion.

"Double Slap!" Yui called.

Delcatty emerged from the smoke of Air Cutter's explosion, and she twisted her body. Her tail smacked directly into Aurorus' face, making the giant Pokémon take a couple steps back. Delcatty continued her onslaught of vicious tail slaps, but then a purple energy surrounded her body. The eyes of Alison's other Pokémon were glowing, and she used her energy to toss Delcatty backwards.

Yui looked up at her score. Only roughly a quarter of her points remained. "She hasn't made a single verbal order with her other Pokémon, and that was clearly a Psychic-type attack. She's able to command that Pokémon with telepathy," Yui whispered to herself. "That sounds insane."

Alison smiled. "I guess you've figured out my little trick with Gardevoir, but maybe it's too late."

"We'll be fine!" Yui snapped. "Giga Impact!"

Delcatty lowered her head once more and then dashed forward, tearing up the stage as she ran.

Alison smiled and her Gardevoir nodded. She winked, sending out a red energy from her body. The energy washed over Delcatty who continued her attack, but the stage was no longer suffering.

"Charm," Logan noted. "Delcatty's Giga Impact is going to be a lot weaker now."

Delcatty smashed into Gardevoir, and while it did not send the Psychic Pokémon reeling backwards, it did knock her over. Delcatty then did a flip and returned to the middle of the stage where Beautifly struggled to stay in the air.

"We're going to win here, Yui! Check out our Dark Pulse Moonblast!"

Aurorus formed the dark energy at the bottom of her legs as she stood straight up. Gardevoir created the fake moon and then released it forward as Aururos crashed into the ground, sending her dark energy across the stage and making the Fairy-type attack turn black.

"Get out of the way!" Yui yelled.

Delcatty grabbed onto Beautifly's wing and then tossed her companion to the side before she leapt into the air, barely avoiding the attack. When Moonblast faded away, Delcatty landed back on her feet, but Beautifly was nowhere to be found.

"Where did she go?" Alison wondered as her two Pokémon looked around the stage and in the air

"Giga Drain!" Yui ordered.

Suddenly, Aurorus let out a cry as energy from her body began to drain away. She shifted her neck, revealing that Beautifly had attached herself during the previous attack. Aurorus began to struggle, but she was able to toss Beautifly off, who now seemed re-energized and able to flap her wings without any issue.

"Time for the final attack!" Yui declared. "Solar Ice Beam!"

Beautifly flew over to Delcatty and picked her up once more. She tossed the feline Pokémon into the air while they released their attacks simultaneously. A beam of blue and orange crashed into both Aurorus and Gardevoir, enveloping them completely. When the attack stopped, Delcatty landed back on the ground while Beautifly rested on her head. Gardevoir and Aurorus both let out soft whimpers as they collapsed.

"We have a Battle Off!" Vivian declared. "Yui was up against the ropes for the majority of that battle, but with some guts and determination, she was able to make her opponents faint, securing her position in the Top 8!"

Alison sighed and she returned her Pokémon. "We did our best. I wasn't expecting that final attack."

Yui laughed. "It was definitely out of desperation." She bowed her head. "Thank you for that battle."

The crowd cheered as the two returned to the back and the next match was called. When Yui opened the door, Yurie was waiting for her.

"Isn't your big sister strong?" she wondered out loud with a grin on her face.

Yurie nodded. "You told me that I needed to win with elegance, but yet you just pulled a win with brute force."

Yui stopped smiling. "I did what I had to do, Yurie. I always go in with the intention of being elegant, but sometimes, that won't cut it."

The two sat down and watched the other battles as they took place. Michika sat alone in the back. Eventually, the names Kawahara Yurie and Imamura Michika were called.

"It's time for a match that a lot of people have been waiting for!" Vivian yelled into the microphone. "This year, Hoenn saw the debut of two young aspiring trainers, Kawahara Yurie and Imamura Michika. Together, they debuted in a Rustboro City contest! Both of them made it to the finals, but it was ultimately Michika who walked out the winner that day. Today, they meet in the final battle of the Top 16 in the Hoenn Grand Festival!"

The crowd's cheers echoed throughout the stadium. Yurie and Michika walked down the hallway together. They were both tense, knowing what was on the line in the upcoming battle.

"Good luck!" Michika said. She forced a smile. "Let's have a great battle!"

Yurie nodded. "No matter what, let's keep rooting for each other until the end!" She smiled back, but it was sincere.

As the two entered the stage, the crowd got louder and louder. They approached their trainer's boxes and waited for the signal.

"Are you ready?" Vivian asked. The two nodded. "Begin!"

Five minutes appeared on the clock, and both trainers threw one Poké Ball each onto the field while Torchic and Piplup rushed out to battle. Minun came onto the field in a bright flash of light while Absol exploded from Michika's Poké Ball. The four Pokémon all looked at each other intensely.

"I love everything about this," Logan said. The others gave him confused looks. "Torchic vs. Piplup once more. And we get to see Torchic and Minun team up again. This is going to be really fun."

Himawari nodded. "You get excited about weird things…"

The crowd began to yell the two girls' name in dueling chants.

"Kawahara!"

"Imamura!"

"Kawahara!"

"Imamura!"

The two girls looked up at the crowd and then at each other. They both nodded.

"Torchic, Flamethrower! Minun, Thunder!"

"Piplup, use Hydro Pump! Absol, give them your own Flamethrower!"

The four Pokémon unleashed all four of their attacks at once, sending energy throughout the whole stadium. Logan had to keep his hand on his hat to prevent it from flying away. There was a giant explosion that filled the stage with smoke.

"Night Slash!"

Absol exploded from the smoke, and she raised her claw. Dark energy surrounded her claw, and she swiped for Minun.

"Double Team!"

Minun suddenly disappeared, and her clones materialized over the field.

"Blast them back with Flame Burst!"

Torchic grinned at Absol before he unleashed a small burst of flames from his mouth. The small burst then exploded, sending flames into the air.

"Iron Tail!" Yurie's voice called.

From the air, everyone could see a bright light. Minun fell towards Absol while her small rectangular tail started to glow with energy.

"Hit it with Razor Wind!" Michika ordered.

Absol leapt into the air while the horn on her head began to glow. Absol's horn connected with Minun's tail, and the force of their attacks blasted them back.

"Rock Slide!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic focused his energy and pulled stones out from under the ground. With a battle cry, Torchic tossed the stones at Michika's Pokémon.

"No issue! Use Drill Peck!"

"Piplup!" her Pokémon cried out. Suddenly, her beak elongated, and she jumped forward, crashing through the stones and turning them to rubble. She continued, and jabbed her beak into Torchic, sending him back. Torchic landed in a heap and Minun went to go check on him.

"Thunderbolt, Absol!"

Absol's horn started to spark with electricity, and she shot the current towards Yurie's Pokémon.

"Double Team!" Yurie yelled.

Minun grabbed ahold of Torchic's wing, and then the two disappeared, creating copies of themselves all across the field. Michika's Pokémon looked confused as the clones surrounded them.

"Focus!" Michika called out. Her Pokémon nodded and they calmed down. Soon, Piplup smirked and nodded her head. "Hit 'em with Ice Beam!"

Piplup unleashed her beam of icy cold blue from her mouth directly towards one of the clones. It hit directly, freezing Minun and Torchic's feet to the ground. All of the other clones slowly dissipated.

"Finish them with Night Slash!"

Absol ran forward and jumped into the air. Now, both of her claws were enveloped with dark energy.

"Flame Burst!" Yurie yelled.

Torchic gave a quick glance at Minun, who nodded in response. Torchic took in a deep breath and unleashed flames towards their feet, causing an explosion of fire, engulfing the two. Absol stopped her attack and looked in amazement at the flames.

"Shock Wave!" Yurie's voice called.

From the flames, a cylinder of blue electricity escaped. It connected directly with Absol, sending the Dark-type Pokémon reeling backwards. She landed on her feet, but the damage had taken its toll.

"Watch out!" Michika yelled as she noticed stones flying in the air, but it was too late. Her Pokémon began to take damage from the falling stones, and they were soon trapped.

"Perfect!" Yurie called as the flames finally died down. Her Pokémon both looked exhausted. "Go in with an Iron Tail!"

Minun nodded and then started running forward on all fours. She leapt into the air and twisted her body around, ready to strike the trapped Pokémon.

"Hydro Pump!"

The stones exploded as pressurized water poured from Piplup's mouth. The attack collided with all of Minun's body, tossing the Electric-type all the way back to her trainer. She collapsed in front of Yurie, and everyone looked to the screen as Yurie's points were cut in half.

"No…" Yurie said quietly.

"It looks like Minun is out of this battle, leaving Torchic on his own!" Vivian's voice echoed throughout the stadium.

"Flame Burst!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic nodded and then shot his flames once more towards both of Michika's Pokémon. The flames washed over both of them, since they were too tired to dodge.

"Aerial Ace!"

From the flames, Torchic shot through. He jabbed his glowing beak into Absol's side, sending the Dark-type into the air. Absol crashed into the ground in front of Michika and didn't even make an effort to stand back up. Michika's points were then halved.

"It's down to just Torchic and Piplup now!" Vivian screamed. "Who's going to be advancing to the Top 8?!"

"Fight to the end?" Yurie asked.

Michika nodded. "Of course!"

"Torchic!"

"Piplup!"

"Aerial Ace!" the girls ordered in unison.

White energy surrounded both of the Pokémon's beaks, and they jumped forward. Their beaks clashed together like swords, and they held their positions for awhile, hoping that the other would make a small mistake. But neither did. With quick movements, they both stepped back and then lunged once more. Repeatedly, they smashed their beaks together. Slashing and guarding. It was a true test of the heart and soul of the two starter Pokémon.

"Don't give up, Torchic!"

"You got this, Piplup!"

"Kawahara!"

"Imamura!"

"Kawahara!"

"Imamura!"

The two Pokémon collided once more and held still. After moments of struggle, they both fell to the ground exhausted as the buzzer sounded. They looked at one another through one eye each and breathed heavily before they both smiled and then closed their eyes.

"And that's time!" Vivian said. Everyone turned their attention to the scoreboard. Yurie had roughly 10 percent of her points remaining.

"I can't believe it…" Logan muttered.

"With Yurie's ten points and Michika's nine, it looks like Kawahara Yurie will be moving onto the Top 8!" Vivian announced as the crowd erupted into cheers.

The two girls ran to the middle of the stage and knelt down to be with their Pokémon.

"It was really fun!" Michika said. She didn't have to force a smile this time, but was instead sincerely grinning from ear to ear. "I've never been this happy to lose!"

Yurie laughed. "Thank you for being such a good rival, Michika! I'll make sure to win the rest of my battles for you!"

Michika reached out and hugged her friend, and the crowd got even louder. "Thank you so much!"

The lights went dim, and everyone turned their attention to the board.

"It's time to announce our Top 8 match-ups!" Vivian said into the microphone. The tournament bracket appeared, and on the far right Yurie's and Yui's faces were placed next to each other.

Yui, who sat in the backroom, looked down at the ground. "I see…"

"They're going to have to compete tomorrow," Haruto said. "I'm not emotionally ready for that."

Logan nodded. "You can do it, Yurie."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I wrote the Yurie vs. Yui battle months ago, and I'm so glad I'll finally get to share it with you next chapter. I think it hits some key emotional beats. I kind of got choked up writing it, so yeah (I'm also kind of a baby). Hopefully you'll enjoy it! I'll be posting it tomorrow!

Once again, thanks to EeviumZ for Alison Martin!


	55. Pride! Kawahara Sisters Battle It Out!

**Chapter 55 - Pride! Kawahara Sisters Battle It Out!**

* * *

"We've officially reached the Top 8 of the Hoenn Grand Festival! Everyone, please give it up for our contestants!" Vivian announced into the mic. The stadium cheered and rumbled. "Our next battle is sure to be a dramatic one! It's a battle between sisters as Kawahara Yurie takes on her older sibling, Kawahara Yui. These two are yet to face off with each other in direct battle, so this will be interesting!"

"It's so hard to decide who to cheer for," Haruto said. "But I'm so proud of both of them! I didn't think my sisters would be so talented!"

Yuriko nodded. "No matter who wins, I'm just happy that they both made it this far. Not only that, but the fact that Yurie actually went out on her own journey makes me happy."

Himawari nudged Logan. "The real contest is who's cuter, am I right?"

"No."

The two sisters walked onto the stage at opposite ends. They looked at one another and did not say a word.

"Kawahara siblings, please begin!" Vivian said. The timer began and their point bars showed up on screen.

"Torchic! Aggron! You can do it!" Yurie said while throwing her Luxury Ball into the air. Torchic ran to the stage, and once Aggron appeared, they took their fighting stances.

"Combusken and Wigglytuff, go!" Yui yelled while releasing her Pokémon from their balls. They came onto the stage and then stared down their opponents.

"It looks like Yurie might have the power and type advantage with Aggron," Logan said.

Haruto grinned. "That may be true, but don't underestimate Wigglytuff's powers."

"Go, Yurie!" Michika cheered. She paused. "And Yui too! I'm so conflicted!"

"Combusken, Poison Jab! Wigglytuff, Double-Edge!" Yui ordered.

Her two Pokémon bounded forward. Combusken's fingers started to glow purple, and a white energy began to form around Wigglytuff's body.

"Let's do this in style!" Yurie exclaimed while raising her hand into the air. Her bracelet began to glow and she pushed on her Aggronite. "Torchic, Flame Burst! Aggron, let's do this!"

Energy surrounded Aggron as Torchic jumped forward. He released a small burst of fire from his mouth that exploded on the ground right before Combusken and Wigglytuff. The two Pokémon stopped their attacks and raised their arms to shield themselves from the fire.

"Iron Tail!" Yurie ordered.

Aggron emerged from the flames in his new form. He quickly spun around and smashed his tail against both of Yui's Pokémon, sending them flying backwards. They both quickly recovered and waited for Yui's next command.

_Aggron is going to be most dangerous up close. I can't let him get near Wigglytuff._ Yui thought.

_She's gonna keep a distance, which means that I have to draw her closer._ Yurie thought. "Aggron, Torchic, use Rock Slide!"

The two Pokémon focused their energy, and the stadium began to rumble. They lifted rocks from the ground and tossed them into the air.

"I don't think so! Sky Uppercut!" Yui ordered.

Combusken leapt into the air and began to strike the different large stones, sending them back towards Torchic and Aggron. Aggron was quick though. He stood in front of Torchic and took all of the blows easily.

"Combusken, use Flamethrower! Wigglytuff, use Fire Blast!"

The two Pokémon stepped forward and took in deep breaths. They released their attacks directly towards Yurie's Pokémon, scorching the ground before them.

"Flamethrower!" Yurie yelled.

Aggron lifted Torchic onto his shoulder, and then the Fire-type unleashed his attack. The attacks collided with one another, but Torchic's flames were overpowered. Aggron quickly lifted one of the stones from before and held it in front of him. The fire attacks clashed with the stone, but broke through. Both Aggron and Torchic were flung back. Aggron stood back up and lifted Torchic into a standing position.

"It looks like Yurie may have the overall type-advantage, but Yui has counters for whatever Yurie can throw at her," Haruto said. He looked at Logan. "Maybe you didn't train my sister properly afterall?"

"I have faith in Yurie and her skills," Logan responded.

"Rock Slide, once more!" Yurie said.

Aggron used his energy and lifted stones from the battlefield. He flung them into the air towards Yui's Pokémon.

"Dazzling Gleam!" Yui commanded.

Wigglytuff stood in front of Combusken, and a bright light emerged from her body. The light then shot off little beams, colliding with a few of the stones and turning them to dust on impact.

"Aerial Ace!" Yurie yelled.

Yui looked towards Aggron. "Where is Torchic?" she questioned.

Suddenly, Torchic leapt from one of the stones and came barreling downwards towards Combusken. His beak started to glow, and he smashed into Yui's Pokémon. He quickly backed away, putting both of Yui's Pokémon in the middle of Yurie's.

"Flame Burst and Thunder!" Yurie ordered.

Torchic blasted a small burst of fire from her mouth while Aggron unleashed a strong surge of energy from his entire body. The attacks raced towards the middle of the stage where their opponents awaited.

"Wigglytuff, use your own Thunder!" Yui yelled.

Wigglytuff surrounded herself in electric energy and she released it right before the attacks could connect. There was a small explosion, and Yui's Pokémon disappeared within the smoke.

"Sky Uppercut! Double-Edge!"

At both ends of the smoke, Yui's Pokémon emerged. Combusken jabbed at Aggron, smashing him in the jaw while Wigglytuff crashed her entire body into Torchic. Both Pokémon keeled back, but quickly recovered.

"This puts Torchic at a bad position. He needs Aggron's support," Logan said. "Aggron's ability allows it to take super-effective hits a lot easier than your average Pokémon, so he should be fine."

"And Aggron's defensive abilities are insane already," Himawari added. "But Torchic could be in trouble."

"Close-range Flamethrower!" Yui ordered.

Combusken opened her mouth and unleashed flames onto Aggron. She then jumped back a few feet to get some distance.

"Aerial Ace!" Yurie ordered.

"Wigglytuff, dodge!" Yui yelled.

Torchic kicked back his feet and then lunged forward, white energy exploding from his beak. But Wigglytuff was fast and jumped out of the way, so Torchic continued flying through the air.

"Not my target," Yurie said.

"What?"

Torchic then slammed into Combusken, making her fly into the air.

"Dragon Claw, Aggron!"

Aggron's claws began to glow, and he jumped into the air. He swiped down, smashing into Combusken's body and sending her back to Wigglytuff. The Fairy-type caught her partner and then gently set her back down.

Yurie glanced up at the board. They both had roughly seventy-five percent of their points left.

"Flare Blitz and Double-Edge!" Yui ordered.

Her two Pokémon stomped around the ground and then started to run forward. They zigzagged across the stage as they ran towards their opponents.

"Rock Slide!" Yurie yelled.

Both of her Pokémon focused their energy and lifted stones from the stage once again. They tossed the stones towards Combusken and Wigglytuff, but they were dodged gracefully. Eventually, they reached Torchic and Aggron and then smashed their bodies together. Torchic flew back while Aggron remained still.

"Focus on Aggron!" Yui ordered. "Flamethrower and Fire Blast!"

Yui's Pokémon separated, putting Aggron in the middle of them. They then unleashed strong bursts of fire from their mouths, and Aggron was engulfed in flames.

"Aggron!" Yurie yelled. "Torchic, Aerial Ace!"

Torchic blew forward and smashed into Combusken, breaking half of the fire attacks.

"Now, Thunder!" she told Aggron.

Aggron lifted his arms into the air, and then unleashed a powerful surge of electricity. It cancelled out the flames and then zapped Wigglytuff.

"Iron Tail!"

Aggron bounded forward on all fours. He spun his giant body around and swung his tail towards Wigglytuff.

"Sky Uppercut!"

Combusken quickly appeared from out of nowhere. She jabbed, blocking the Steel-type's attack.

"Aerial Ace!"

Torchic flew forward with white energy exploding from his face, but Wigglytuff stepped in the way and took the hit. The four Pokémon all stumbled back and looked at one another.

"Flamethrower! Thunder!" the two sisters ordered in unison.

While Combusken and Torchic unleashed flames from their mouths, electric energy exploded from Wigglytuff and Aggron. The attacks clashed in the middle of all of the Pokémon, making them slide back even further from one another into the corners of the stage.

"Counter after counter after counter," Logan said. "They both have an immediate answer for everything."

Haruto nodded. "Neither one of them wants to lose. This is a rivalry that's been going on their whole lives."

"Dazzling Gleam!" Yui yelled.

Wigglytuff jumped in the middle of all of the Pokémon. Light exploded from her body, blinding Aggron and Torchic. Suddenly, Combusken jumped out from the light and used Sky Uppercut on Aggron, making the Steel-type fall back. Before he could recover, Wigglytuff leapt into the air and unleashed Fire Blast. It covered Aggron's entire body in flames once more.

"Torchic, use Rock Slide!"

Torchic used what energy he had and tossed stones into the air. Wigglytuff and Combusken stopped their attacks and attempted to dodge the stones.

"Iron Tail!"

Aggron leapt into the air and swung his tail. He destroyed a few of the stones with his movement and then slammed his tail down onto Wigglytuff. Both of the Pokémon fell to the ground, and Aggron let out a roar. Wigglytuff stood back up and glared, and both Pokémon stared each other down breathing heavily from the damage taken. Suddenly, both Pokémon collapsed.

"It looks like both Wigglytuff and Aggron are too exhausted to continue! This leaves only Torchic and Combusken left on the field!" Vivian announced.

"Aggron may be one of the strongest Pokémon that I've ever seen, but even Aggron can only take so many Fire-type attacks," Logan said.

The sisters returned their Pokémon and then focused on their starters.

"I'm really proud of you, Yurie," Yui said. "I truly never expected for you to be as good as you are, but they're not wrong when they say that you're a great trainer."

Yurie looked up at the points. They both had roughly fifteen percent each. "Let's battle with all of our hearts and show the Kawahara spirit!"

"Poison Jab!" Yui yelled.

Combusken's hands began to glow purple, and she ran forward.

"Flamethrower!"

Torchic unleashed his flames onto the stage. Combusken ran inside of it though and endured the damage. She leapt out of the flames and jabbed downwards, barely missing Torchic.

"Sky Uppercut!"

"Flame Burst!"

Combusken shifted her body and then attempted to uppercut Torchic as he leapt backwards. But before Combusken could connect, flames exploded from Torchic's mouth. Both Pokémon flew back from the energy. They stared each other down as both struggled to stand back up.

Yui and Yurie looked at the timer. Only fifteen seconds remained.

"Combusken, use Flare Blitz!"

"Torchic, give all that you have into Aerial Ace!"

The two Pokémon ran forward. Combusken's body became entirely engulfed in flames while a white energy formed at Torchic's beak. The two crashed into one another in the middle of the stage, causing an explosion of smoke and fire. When the smoke died down, both Pokémon stood perfectly still. Suddenly, the buzzer sounded, and everyone turned their attention to the screen.

"Folks," Vivian said. "It's gonna be too close to call!" Both Yurie and Yui only had a sliver of points each. "We're gonna have to go to the judges! Please wait a moment!"

The crowd stood in silence while Yurie and Yui never took their eyes off of the screen.

"This tension is too much," Himawari said. He ran his fingers through his blonde hair.

"Who do you think won?" Yuriko asked Haruto.

Haruto sat back in his seat. "Honestly, I can't say."

Vivian came back onto the stage and raised her hands. "I have received the results from the judges! Kawahara sisters, thank you for your fiery performances! With only two points remaining…"

Everyone took in a deep breath.

"Your winner and moving onto the Top 4 is…"

"Really knows how to work a crowd," Himawari mumbled.

"Kawahara Yui!" Vivian announced into the microphone. The crowd went wild, and Yurie sighed.

The two sisters ran to the middle of the stage to meet their Pokémon. Allowing Combusken and Torchic to collapse into their arms.

"What a battle!" Yurie said. "You did fantastic, Torchic. And Combusken, you're so strong!"

Yui walked to her sister and hugged her. "Yurie, this was a dream come true. Thank you…"

Logan sighed but then began clapping. "They both did amazing!"

Yuriko wiped tears from her eyes. "I'm so proud of them…"

* * *

Back at the hotel, the group gathered together.

"In celebration of your wonderful battle, we're going to go to a tabehoudai!" Yuriko said.

"Tabehoudai!" Yurie screamed.

"What's that? Some kind of dance?" Logan asked.

Himawari laughed. "It's all you can eat."

"Like a buffet?!"

Michika put her arm around Yurie. "It looks like we're just a couple of losers!"

Yurie laughed. "But we're the cutest losers here!"

"Who do you face tomorrow, Yui?" Haruto asked.

Yui thought back to the bracket from before. Only four people in the festival remained. Her face was positioned next to a teenage boy with long black hair.

"Shiota Katsuo," Yurie said. "Back in Fallarbor Town, he defeated me with his Medicham."

Michika nodded. "I battled against him in Fortree, and he easily beat me. I don't think he's lost a single match."

"In that case, I need to do a lot of preparation tonight. I feel like I may have already used my strongest combination against Yurie, and Combusken may be unable to do two battles in a row, but give me one night, and I'll come up with something," Yui exclaimed confidently.

* * *

Time moved forward faster than Yui had anticipated, and before any of them knew it, it was her time to battle in the Top 4. She looked up at the scoreboard. Her points were already at twenty-five percent while Katsuo still had well over half.

"We can't give up!" Yui cried out. "Wigglytuff, use Dazzling Gleam! Plusle, hit them with Thunder!"

"Milotic, Medicham, use your Surfing High Jump Kick!" Katsuo commanded his two Pokémon.

As Wigglytuff and Plusle released their desperation attacks, Milotic began to create water with her body. The water turned into a giant wave, and Medicham rode on top of it. The attacks collided with one another, but Yui's Pokémon were too roughed up at this point. Medicham kicked Wigglytuff with immense force while the waves finished off Plusle. Yui's points dropped to zero.

Yui watched as her picture was removed from the screen and Katsuo was declared the winner. She dropped to her knees and then slowly returned her Pokémon. "He was too much…"

* * *

"Yui!" Yurie yelled as her sister came backstage. She gave her a hug. "You did so well!"

Haruto patted both of them on their heads. "You both did wonderful. I'm so proud of my sisters."

"Thank you," Yui muttered. She hugged Yurie back and pulled Haruto closer. They held each other for a moment, something that they hadn't done since Haruto left for his journey.

Yuriko put her hands over her face and tried to hide her tears that were obviously streaming down her cheeks. "My kids are all in the same place at once. And two competed in a big tournament! I can't tell you how happy I am."

They were all silent for awhile. Himawari and Logan were unsure of what to do with themselves. Himawari seemingly motioned for Logan to join the hug between the family, but Logan violently shook his head.

"Well, I should get back to the Johto region. Neither of you are continuing on, so I guess I'll get back to training," Haruto said. "I was really glad that I could catch some of your battles. Yurie, you're a better trainer than I ever believed you could be, and Yui, you're fantastic. I love that you're finally self-confident. Don't forget that feeling, okay?"

Yuriko nodded. "I'll be leaving too. I need to get back to my flowers. I don't want them to wilt."

Haruto glared at Logan. "You don't get too happy about spending alone time with my sister. And when I get the chance, I want a battle with you. I think the hype has gotten to your head."

Logan gave him a confused look.

* * *

Haruto and Yuriko left, but everyone else remained for the final match. It was between Katsuo and someone from Kanto. Katsuo easily swept the match like he had done before with all of his other battles. He never even broke a sweat. Once his battle was finished, he was presented with a golden trophy that they dubbed the Hoenn Ribbon Cup. He held it and smugly smiled as people from all over Hoenn took his picture.

"Sometimes, people like that have a reason to be smug, I guess," Yui mumbled.

Himawari patted her on the back. "You'll get a rematch one day."

* * *

After the ceremony wrapped up, the group all went to a local restaurant in Slateport and had a small party where they drank cola and juice. But the party was soon over, and so was the Hoenn Grand Festival.

The next morning, the group all stood out in front of the Pokémon Center and watched as the sun came up over the ocean, turning the regularly blue water orange.

"Where are you going to next?" Yurie asked.

Yui closed her yes. "I'm gonna go home for awhile. I miss my bed, and I want to decorate my room. But after that, I'll go to Johto to support Haruto in the league. Maybe I'll even travel Johto myself. And you? A lot of time off."

Yurie looked at Logan. "I've seen all of Logan's gym battles in Hoenn, so I want to see it to the end. I'm gonna help him train for the Ever Grande Conference and then support him there."

Logan rubbed the back of his head. "I need all of the help I can get."

Michika giggled. "I'd like to help a bit!"

Himawari nodded. "You got me too, buddy!"

Yui walked up to her sister and patted her on the head. "Yurie, you've done great. I hope you continue as a coordinator. I'd love to face you one day in the finals of a Grand Conference. It's my new dream. I'm going to keep Plusle with me always as a way to remember what we've done this year."

Yurie stepped forward and gave Yui a hug. "Good luck. Don't forget to call mom sometimes, okay?"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Finished! The Hoenn Grand Festival is done! It was really fun to write, but I'm glad it's over. Sorry if the ending seemed a bit short/rushed, but the important part of this chapter (at least for this story) was Yurie vs. Yui.

Next will be a short training arc for Logan and then we're moving onto the Ever Grande Conference which is looking to be at least ten chapters. Healing in Hoenn is a total of 71 chapters though. I'm so excited to get into it. Part of me wants to just post it all up at once.

Okay. Let's get into it.


	56. Train! Time to Get Serious!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 56 - Train! Time to Get Serious!**

* * *

It had been a week since the Hoenn Grand Festival had ended, and the group had made their way to Mauville City. Tessen allowed Logan to use the gym as a training grounds when he wasn't taking on challengers. Every day, Logan would wake up early with his Pokémon, go for a jog, and then battle until they were too exhausted to continue.

"He's working really hard," Michika noted as she, Yurie, and Himawari watched from the stands. "I can see why they say so many nice things about him."

"At this rate, he'll have no problem taking on the conference," Himawari exclaimed. "One month of this kind of training, and he'll be in perfect shape."

_I've met a lot of strong trainers in Hoenn, and I'm determined to win. I can't afford any mistakes this time around._ Logan thought. He looked out at his six Pokémon as they spared with one another.

**10 Months Ago - Route 101**

"Use Pound!"

Treecko jumped into the air with Poochyena still attached to his tail. He twisted his body and flung Poochyena towards the ground, causing a small explosion of smoke. When the dust had settled, both Pokémon still stood, but their legs were shaky.

"Poochyena, you okay?" Logan asked.

Poochyena let out a battle cry and smiled.

"Fantastic!" Logan responded, but his smile soon faded once Poochyena collapsed from exhaustion. Treecko soon followed.

The trainers both ran to their Pokémon.

"You did great, Treecko. Next time, we'll win," the boy said. He absorbed his Pokémon into its ball.

Logan held Poochyena in his arms. "You did great, buddy." He turned his attention to the boy. "And you won this one. Poochyena fell first, so you and Treecko are the victors."

The boy glared. "I only want to accept victory if it's a total victory. Treecko fell at the end, so I'm considering this a draw. I look forward to any of our future battles."

Logan smiled. "So, strict."

"My name is Kato Yuta. You can call me Yuta. I'm going to become the Champion of Hoenn."

**2 Months Ago - Lilycove City**

"Solar Beam!"

Sceptile jumped into the air and began to form energy in the palms of his hands. He quickly collected the energy from the orb that he shot into the air before, and then blasted a beam of solar power straight towards Vigoroth.

"Dodge!" Logan yelled.

But it was too late. The beam crashed down onto Vigoroth and caused a small explosion. Sceptile landed back onto the ground and grinned as the smoke cleared and revealed that Vigoroth was unable to continue. Logan ran onto the field and held his Pokémon's head in his hands.

"Vigoroth…" he mumbled.

Vigoroth forced one eye open and then grinned. She patted Logan's hand before fainting. Logan nodded and then returned the Pokémon to her Luxury Ball.

Yuta returned Sceptile and then ran his hand through his black hair. "Maybe that was overkill. But we are going to need to be stronger if we want to beat you at the Hoenn League."

"You're already so strong though," Yurie said.

Logan stood up and grinned. "Keep training, Yuta. And when we meet at the Hoenn League, I promise that you'll be in for the battle of your life."

Yuta smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."

**Present Day**

_Not just Yuta though. That girl from Kalos isn't going to be easy either._

**Eight Months Ago - Route 110**

The girl got off her bike and approached them. "My name is Camille. I'm from the Kalos Region. I noticed that you're also not from around here."

"I'm from Unova," Logan said.

"I've never met someone from Unova before," she replied. "Would you want to try having a battle with me? I heard that people from Unova are pretty sloppy battlers. Prove me wrong?"

Logan grinned. He was eager to try out his new Electrike. "And I've heard that people from Kalos don't properly train their Pokémon, so I'm down."

* * *

"Rock Throw!" Logan ordered.

Mudkip dug his paws into the ground and pulled out rocks, tossing them into the air.

"Dodge with Flame Wheel!"

Quilava was once again completely engulfed in flames. She swiftly moved around every rock that was thrown at her, and she stopped right in front of Mudkip. The flames died down, and she laughed.

"Lava Plume."

Suddenly, the earth around Quilava and Mudkip got hot. Fire exploded from the ground, and Mudkip was thrown into the air. Mudkip landed with a hard _thud_ on the ground, and his body twitched, but he did not stand back up.

Logan ran to Mudkip and picked him up. "You did your best, Mudkip. Good job, buddy." He returned Mudkip back into his ball.

Camille pet Quilava and then returned her to the Poké Ball. "You're not bad, but you need work."

**Present Day**

_I get excited at the thought of battling strong trainers like that. And if I get the chance, that win will be for Himawari._ Logan thought. He looked over at his blonde friend and grinned. _But I'm also excited at the prospect of battling Finn._

**Seven Months Ago - Route 111**

A voice suddenly called from the side. "You guys want to go through the desert?" The group turned to find a boy, roughly the same age as Logan and Himawari, standing to their side. He had straight lengthy brown hair, wore black skinny jeans, and a red shirt with a black star in the middle.

"Finn?" Logan wondered out loud. "Holy! Finn, it is you!" He ran and gave the boy a hug. "It's been awhile!"

"Who is this?" Yurie asked.

"This is Finn! We battled each other in the Alola League! I also consider him one of my best friends," he explained. "What are you doing in Hoenn?"

"Figured I'd give Hoenn a go. Couldn't hurt, ya know?" Finn answered.

**Three Months Ago - Route 119**

"Finn is a solid trainer, but he's an even better analyst. He can get data on about any other trainer in the league and make strategies on how to beat them," Logan added.

"It's executing those strategies that I find difficult," Finn muttered.

"I want to have a battle with you!" Yurie said. "I want to battle with one of Logan's friends!"

Himawari walked in between them. "I don't think so. If anyone is going to battle you, it's me. I want to put you in your place."

"How about a double battle?" Finn suggested.

* * *

"I'll take the lead once more," Finn said. "Let's use Superpower!"

Croconaw nodded, and his body started to glow a slight red tint. He bounded forward at an amazing speed, and before Yurie or Himawari could make their call, Croconaw collided with Masquerain. Masquerain hit the ground hard and could not get back up.

"Oh no…" Yurie muttered while she returned her Pokémon. "I'm sorry Himawari…"

Himawari looked out at the two Pokémon that he still had to face. Vigoroth was still injured from the Ice Fang, and Croconaw was seemingly less energetic than from before he used Superpower.

"Kolink, can you do this?" he asked.

Shinx nodded and then started to howl. His body began to glow a bright white and started to shift and grow. Within moments, the white energy exploded off of him, and a new Pokémon stood in his place.

"What's that?" Yurie asked, amazed at the new Pokémon.

"Kolink! You've evolved into a Luxio!" Himawari exclaimed. "Yes!"

"This is no time for us to be dawdling around," Logan said. "Vigoroth, use Slash!"

Vigoroth stood up and lifted her good arm. She then started to slowly run forward while dragging her frozen arm behind her.

"Croconaw, give it one more Dragon Claw!"

Croconaw nodded and ran beside Vigoroth. He lifted his claw, and it started to glow with a blue fire.

"Give them your strongest Thunderbolt!" Himawari ordered.

Luxio ginned and he unleashed his attack. Lightning erupted from his body and then came crashing down on the two opponents seconds before they would have hit their attacks. Once the lighting stopped, all of the Pokémon froze in place. After a few seconds, Vigoroth and Croconaw collapsed to the ground.

"Yes!" Himawari cheered.

Logan sighed. "Welp…"

"That was really fun!" Finn said.

**Present Day**

_We'll have a blast battling again._ Logan thought. He looked down at the ground. _But then there's her._

**Six Months Ago - Lavaridge Town**

"It's so hot," Logan muttered.

"Can't deal with the Hoenn heat, Logan?" a voice asked.

The group looked forward. A girl about the same age as Logan stood in front of them. She had short straight black hair and wore a black tanktop and a purple skirt that fell to her knees. The messenger bag that she wore had Poké Balls connected to the strap.

Logan felt his body go numb. It was as though all the air had suddenly been sucked from his body.

"Luna…" Logan said quietly. He could not look at the girl in the eyes. He lowered his gaze.

"Taking on the Hoenn League, I see?" the girl asked. Logan stayed quiet. "Cat got your tongue?"

"I'm sorry for my friend's silence, miss," Himawari said. He approached the girl and stuck out his hand. "I'm Himawari, and what might be your name, cutie?"

The girl glared. "My name is Luna. Don't be a creep."

Himawari pulled his hand back. "Well then."

"Luna?" Yurie wondered out loud. She got close to Logan. "Is this the Luna that you traveled with?"

Logan looked at Yurie in the eyes and nodded slowly. Yurie gasped. She looked at Luna closely.

"I heard that you came to Hoenn. Everyone back home saw you on TV when you entered into some contest. I asked around and was later invited to come visit Professor Birch. He said he needed help with some research of his. He also mentioned that you were traveling around," Luna said. "I was just coming here to get myself a gym badge."

Logan looked up. "You're competing?"

"Yep!" Luna responded with a grin.

* * *

"I'll be honest, when I first came here, it was because I was worried about you. I wanted to make sure that you were really okay. I was worried that you had gone crazy or something," she said. "But when I thought about it, I can now understand that you weren't my friend. So, my goal changed. I've come to the Hoenn Region to compete, and I want to show you just how strong of a trainer I am."

"I already understand that you're strong, Luna."

"This time, we'll travel separately, just like you wanted. And then when we meet at the league, you'll have no excuses," she snapped. "I have two more badges to go, and then I'm gonna spend my time training, and when it comes down to me and you at the Ever Grande Conference, I'll give you a reason to run."

"I'm sorry for what I did," Logan muttered. "I should have just told you."

"It's too late, Logan," she replied. "You reap what you sow."

Logan did not respond.

**Present Day**

_I bet that she's been training nonstop since she got her final badge. Her Pokémon are probably stronger than I can even imagine right now._ Logan thought. He sighed. "I need to increase my training." He turned to his friends. "Hey, Michika. Would you be okay with a battle?"

Michika pointed to herself. "Me? Right now?"

Logan nodded. "Yeah. We can only learn so much from sparring with one another for so long."

Michika shot up and then ran to the field as Logan collected his Pokémon.

"What kind of battle were you thinking?" she asked.

Logan thought for a moment. "Come at me with three of your Pokémon. You can choose whoever you want to use, but I'd like it if you went with your strongest."

She nodded. "You got it!"

The two went to opposite sides of the field, and after a few moments of deliberation, Michika made her choice. She tossed a Poké Ball into the air, and her Pachirisu materialized.

Logan looked at Pachirisu. "She's a tough one. But we'll be fine. Vigoroth, let's go!"

Vigoroth shouted and screeched as she ran onto the battlefield. Logan's other Pokémon cheered her on from the sidelines.

"We'll start with Hyper Fang!" Michika declared.

Pachirisu opened her mouth, and her fangs extended in size. She then ran forward while maniacally laughing and chattering her teeth.

"Go in with an Aerial Ace!" Logan ordered.

Vigoroth took in a deep breath and raised her claws. They started to glow, and she bounded forward. Before Pachirisu could complete her attack, Vigoroth smashed into her, knocking the Electric-type backwards.

"You okay, Pachirisu?" Michika asked. Her Pokémon nodded, but she was clearly surprised by Vigoroth's strength. "Use Thunder Punch!"

"Slash!"

Pachirisu's fist lit up with electric sparks, and she dove forward. She swung her tiny fist at Vigoroth, but the Normal-type ducked. With one swift strike, Vigoroth knocked Pachirisu into the air. The Electric-type crashed into the ground and did not get back up.

"A critical hit," Logan said.

Michika returned her Pokémon as a look of disbelief came across her face. She grinned and then grabbed her next Poké Ball. "We won't go down that easily!"

Absol exploded onto the field and instantly prepared for battle by striking a pose and making an angry face.

"Night Slash!"

"Vigoroth, use Shadow Claw!"

The two Pokémon ran at one another and swung their claws. They connected directly and held their ground for awhile. Eventually, Absol broke and did a backflip to gain some distance.

"Focus Punch!" Logan called.

Vigoroth grabbed her right wrist with her left claws and began to focus energy. The claws on her right arm started to slowly radiate energy.

"We can't give them the chance! Thunderbolt!"

Absol sucked in energy and released a surge of electricity across the stage. It crashed down onto Vigoroth, but the Normal-type didn't flinch. Instead, when the electricity faded away, she smiled. Before Michika could make her next command, Vigoroth darted forward and smashed her claw into Absol. The Dark-type flew back and landed in front of Michika. She didn't get back up.

"Logan… Logan is at an entirely different level right now," Himawari muttered. "I haven't seen him this focused on anything ever."

"And Vigoroth's power is insane," Yurie added. "Vigoroth is making Michika's well trained Pokémon look like they're wild."

Michika returned Absol and then looked down at her Piplup. She nodded, and then the Water-type ran out onto the field. She puffed out her chest and Vigoroth did the same. This mimicry seemed to irritate Piplup even more.

"Piplup, dive in with Aerial Ace!"

"Use your own Aerial Ace!"

The two Pokémon shot forward, and their attacks clashed. This time, it was Vigoroth that was knocked back. Piplup fell to the floor and then looked up at Vigoroth. With one quick motion, she shot up, nailing an Aerial Ace to the bottom of Vigoroth's jaw. Vigoroth stumbled back but then grinned.

"Drill Peck!"

"Slash!"

Piplup's beak quickly extended, and Vigoroth swiped low towards the Water-type. They struck beak against claw a couple times before Vigoroth found an opening and was able to knock Piplup back.

"Give them your Shadow Claw!" Logan ordered.

Vigoroth nodded and then ran forward. Her claw started to emit dark energy as she roared.

"Ice Beam!"

With one quick motion, Piplup shot a beam of light blue at the ground, freezing Vigoroth's feet in place. The Normal-type stopped and screeched as she hacked away at the ice.

"Now's our chance! Use Hydro Pump!"

Piplup took in one giant breath and then unleashed a stream of water from her mouth. The stream connected with the panicked Vigoroth, knocking her out of the ice, and into the air. She landed in front of Logan's feet.

"Vigoroth!" Logan cried out.

"Yatta!" Michika said, but her smile soon faded as Vigoroth stood up once more. "I can't believe it…"

Logan laughed. "Well, I guess we can keep going! Focus Punch!"

Vigoroth howled as she started focusing energy into her right claw.

"Don't let her! Use Aerial Ace!"

Piplup started to run forward as her beak was illuminated by energy. She soared through the air as she raced down the battlefield towards Vigoroth, but even at the speed that she moved, it wasn't fast enough. Vigoroth swung her arm, smashing it into Piplup's cheek. The Water-type was tossed back and landed hard on the ground.

"Piplup!" Michika cried out as she ran on the field to her Pokémon. She knelt down and grabbed her Pokémon. "Man…"

Logan scratched the back of his head. "Maybe that was too much…" He ran onto the field to meet with Michika. "You okay?"

Michika nodded. "All part of battling! Piplup's pride is sure to be hurt, but this just means that we have to work harder!"

Logan smiled. "Thank you, Michika. Let's both keep pushing forward!"

Himawari sat back in his chair. "If he asks me for a match, there's no way."

Yurie laughed. "But what about your dragon's blood?"

Once, Logan finished his training for the day, the group got together for dinner at one of Mauville's nice restaurants that Himawari had suggested.

"So, I think I'm going to go back to Sinnoh for awhile," Michika said suddenly. They all looked at her in surprise. "I miss the weather and my mom's cooking."

Yurie nodded. "I understand that feeling. Where do you think you'll go next?"

"I imagine that you'd be traveling in Sinnoh, correct?" Himawari asked.

Michika thought about it for a second. "I was thinking Kanto."

"Kanto?" Yurie wondered.

Michika nodded. "I've heard that Kanto's food ain't that bad. I'm also curious to see what the big cities look like."

"Kanto…" Yurie murmured. "It does sound like it'd be a fun area to travel in. Maybe I'll go there too!"

Michika laughed. "In that case, I have a lot of training to do!"

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Sorry if this chapter came off as a bit flashbacky, but I wanted to take this time to remind everyone of certain characters that'll be coming back. The rivals that were shown off here are the key characters that Logan will meet in the Ever Grande Conference. Whether or not he actually faces all of them is up in the air.

Next chapter will feature a pretty prominent time skip, but it'll be another training chapter. Logan's Pokémon are going to get a pretty big boost. But before I post that, it's time for my third "movie" story! It's only one chapter, and it's mostly dialogue, but it's something I wanted to experiment with.


	57. Train! Power Surge!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

We're about to get into the Ever Grande Conference, and there's been a bit of a time jump, because I'm against showing a lot of training (I think it wastes time). However, I figured I'd update you on Logan's Pokémon and their current level ranges.

Mightyena (between levels 55 - 60)

Swampert (between levels 60 - 65)

Vigoroth (between levels 55 - 60)

Manectric (between levels 55 - 60)

Flygon (between levels 60 - 65)

Duskull (between levels 50 - 55)

Okay. Let's get into it.

* * *

**Chapter 57 - Train! Power Surge!**

* * *

"Duskull, hit them with Ice Beam!" Logan ordered.

Duskull floated forward and unleashed his blue beam from his mouth. It connected with oncoming wild flying Pokémon that had attacked the group. The flying Pokémon fell to the ground and fainted.

Logan grinned. "That'd be the thirtieth Golbat this week."

"You have so much patience," Himawari commented. "I couldn't grind like this."

It had been one month since Logan battled with Michika, and the group moved to Victory Road, which was near the area that the Ever Grande Conference would be held. Even though they were staying at a Pokémon Center, Logan went to the cave every day to battle wild Pokémon and other strong trainers.

Logan no longer needed a crutch to help him walk, but was now in a big boot that kept his leg together. It would be another two months until he could remove it completely.

"Patience is the key to victory!" Logan exclaimed. "And every battle here is great for my Pokémon. Strong wild Pokémon and trainers are everywhere!"

Himawari sighed. "Yeah, but with a week left, a lot of the trainers are gone, Logan. They're all in Ever Grande City eating at five-star restaurants while poor Yurie has been slaving away, making us food."

"I'm not slaving away," Yurie snapped. "I enjoy cooking for you two."

"Yurie," Himawari said seriously. He put his hand on her shoulder. "I need you to cooperate so we can get nice food and comfy pillows."

"It would be nice to eat at a buffet," Yurie muttered.

Logan smiled. "Alright. I'll make today my last day in Victory Road."

"Great!"

"But on one condition!" Logan said with an evil grin.

Himawari groaned. "What?"

"Have a battle with us!" Logan exclaimed. "I know that you did some special training with your grandpa in New Mauville, and I want to see the fruits of your labor."

Himawari laughed. "Honestly, I've been waiting for you to ask. If I can beat you, then I guess that'd make me the strongest gym leader in Hoenn."

The two went to opposite sides of an open space in the cave. Himawari pulled a Poké Ball from his belt and held it gingerly.

"You ready?" Logan asked.

Himawari nodded. "Do I get to enter into the Ever Grande Conference if I win?"

"That'd be a no."

"Worth a shot."

"Mightyena, you're up!" Logan said. His Pokémon howled as it ran onto the rocky battlefield.

"If it's Mightyena you're going with, then I choose Kolink!" Himawari declared as he tossed his Poké Ball into the air. His Luxio appeared and roared as it prepared for battle.

"Mightyena, start with Iron Tail!"

"Thunder!"

Mightyena ran forward as his tail started to glow white with energy. He jumped into the air, twisted his body around, and swung for Luxio, but the Electric-type was quick. Luxio unleashed a massive surge of electricity from his body, getting a direct hit on Mightyena and sending him back to the ground.

"Now, use Thunder Fang!" Himawari ordered.

Luxio lunged forward as electric energy emitted from his jaws. He bit directly onto the back of Mightyena's neck, and the Dark-type howled with pain.

"Give 'em your Crunch!"

Mightyena focused, and a dark energy started to form in front of his body, creating jaws of darkness. He then clamped the giant jaws down onto the entirety of Luxio's body, making the Electric-type fall back a little bit.

"Luxio, let's not give them any chances! Use Wild Charge!"

Luxio howled as he began to stamp his feet. He then charged forward as his entire body was engulfed in electricity.

"Dig!"

Before Luxio could connect, Mightyena jumped into the air and then dove into the ground. Within seconds, he disappeared.

"Be careful, Luxio! He could come up-"

Before Himawari could finish his sentence, Mightyena exploded from the ground. He shifted his body and slammed his ironhard tail into Luxio's jaw, sending the Pokémon into the air. Luxio then crashed down hard and didn't stand back up.

"Man," Himawari muttered as he returned his Pokémon. "Your too good, Logan." He pulled his next Poké Ball. "But we won't lose this one!" He tossed his Poké Ball into the air, and Raichu appeared on the battlefield. She bounced up and down as she prepared for her battle.

"Come back, Mightyena!" Logan called. His Pokémon nodded and then ran back to his side. Logan revealed his Premier Ball and then threw it onto the field. Manectric materialized and then howled.

"Hikari, use Iron Tail!" Himawari ordered.

Raichu shot forward on all fours as her long tail started to glow white. She swung it at Manectric, but Logan was quick.

"Flamethrower!"

Manectric jumped into the air and then unleashed flames at close-range. The flames came over Raichu, knocking her back.

"Don't mind! Use Thunder Punch!"

Raichu rolled backwards and then started to charge energy in her arm. She then began to swing wildly at Manectric, but Logan's Pokémon was able to avoid all of them.

"Keep it coming," Logan said.

Raichu continuously jabbed as Manectric dodged all of it.

"Thunder Fang!" Logan ordered.

Raichu swung once more, and Manectric opened his mouth. He clamped his electrified jaws onto Raichu's arm, and both Pokémon were shocked. They both took a few steps back as they recovered.

"Hikari, let's use Volt Tackle!"

"In that case, Wild Charge!"

The two Pokémon jumped back to gain even more distance from one another. Then, they started to run forward. Electricity exploded off of their bodies, and they were soon enveloped completely. They tackled into one another, creating an explosion of smoke and electricity. When it all cleared, only Manectric remained standing.

"Dang," Himawari muttered. He returned Hikari and then drew out his last Poké Ball.

"Show me what you've got," Logan said. He lifted his Premier Ball, and Manectric was absorbed by the red light.

"Go, Koiru!" Himawari called. His Poké Ball exploded open, but it wasn't a Magneton that appeared before him. Insead, there was a giant Pokémon that appeared to be a flying disk with one giant eye in the middle.

"I was thinking that something happened with Koiru. You were feeding your Pokémon in secret, so something had to have happened," Logan said. "I'm glad that it's evolved."

"Meet Magnezone! I think with this evolution, Koiru has become my strongest Pokémon."

"Sugoi," Yurie mumbled.

"I'll go with Duskull!" Logan declared. His Ghost-type Pokémon nodded and then floated onto the field.

"That little dude packs a punch, so we have to be careful," Himawari warned. His Pokémon nodded. "Let's start with Tri-Attack!"

Magnezone began to focus its energy, and three different colored orbs appeared in front of its face. The orbs became electrified, forming a triangle of energy. With a battle cry, Magnezone unleashed the orbs forward.

"Dodge it! Shadow Punch!" Logan ordered.

Duskull quickly moved around the energy as it exploded and destroyed some of the ground that they were battling on. With one swift movement, he appeared in front of Magnezone and jabbed, landing a direct hit, but it didn't seem to do much, so Duskull quickly retreated.

"Ice Beam!" Logan instructed.

Duskull took in a deep breath before unleashing the beam of light blue ice towards Magnezone.

"Light Screen!"

Magnezone's eye started to glow, and before Duskull's attack could connect, a slightly visible pink wall appeared. The beam connected with the wall, shattering it, but Duskull's attack was also stopped.

"Now, Thunder!" Himawari yelled.

"Magnezone!" the Pokémon cried as it unleashed electric energy across the field. The energy connected with Duskull directly, making the Ghost-type wail with pain. Duskull slowly floated towards the ground.

"Duskull! Are you okay?" Logan asked.

Duskull nodded and then shot back into the air and flexed his ghostly muscles. Suddenly, a white light emerged from his body, and soon, the glow had become immense. Duskull's body began to grow, shift, and change, and the white energy exploded, revealing a new form.

"Dusclops!" the Pokémon cried out.

"Yes!" Logan yelled.

"Ah, man."

"Dusclops, let's use Fire Punch!"

Dusclops nodded and then disappeared. He reappeared behind Magnezone, his fist full of flames. With one quick motion, he smashed his fist into the back of Magnezone, knocking the Steel-type into the ground. Magnezone crashed with a hard thud, but he slowly tried to float back up.

"I don't think so! Ice Beam!"

Dusclops released yet again another beam of ice from his body, and this time, it connected directly, sending Magnezone back. The Steel-type then collapsed weakly to the ground.

Himawari sighed as he returned his Pokémon. "I may be a gym leader, but your skills far surpass my own. I'm going to work hard though, and when you become champion, I want a rematch."

Logan smiled. "You got it!"

Yurie stood up and clapped her hands together. "Does this mean that we can get out of this cave now?"

* * *

Ever Grande City was not an actual city like its name tried to portray. It was instead a giant stadium with a dome surrounded by multiple hotels, restaurants, a shopping mall, and a Pokémon Center.

But Ever Grande City was bustling with people. Hundreds of competitors, tourists, and people who have come to watch the show filled the busy streets, and the trio found it difficult to get from one place to the next.

"We should just get to the Pokémon Center so we can get our room," Himawari suggested. "We can do more exploring at night time."

"Sounds good to me."

The three found the Pokémon Center, which was the largest one in all of Hoenn. When they arrived, Logan went to the counter while Himawari and Yurie got snacks in the small diner.

"We get to stay at the Ever Grande Hotel," Logan said as approached their table. He set down three card keys. "We're going to be living in style for the next two weeks!"

"Fantastic!" Himawari exclaimed. "They have a hot tub!"

Yurie flipped through the brochure. "It says that they have a state of the art training room, so you'll have that to look forward to."

"It's gonna be packed though," Logan said. He took a seat and started to slowly eat his Hoenn-style cheesecake. "I kind of want to give my Pokémon a week's rest."

"Logan, the brochure says that they're accepting over five hundred trainers," Yurie explained. "That doesn't sound like good odds. I hate to sound like a mother, but maybe you should keep training."

Logan smiled. "Thanks for being concerned, but my Pokémon will be alright. If they're too tired, then they won't be able to compete at their fullest. We trained really hard these past couple of months.

The three finished their lunch, and then it was time for them to head off to the hotel. Their room was giant with two large beds and a shower with a tub that had all sorts of gadgets on it.

"I'm gonna take the best bath!" Himawari yelled as he saw it. "What do you say you join me, Logan? Big enough for two of us."

"I'm good. But thank you for the offer."

Yurie was continuing to read the brochure. "So, the first round will be a simple one on one battle with someone random. This is to weed out the weaker trainers and only two-hundred and fifty-six trainers will move on."

Logan nodded. "So, for that battle, I need to make sure that I choose a Pokémon that's going to guarantee me a victory. Easy enough."

"You're very confident," Himawari said with a laugh.

"And then the next round will be three double battles."

"Three double battles? That sounds intense."

"Yurie is really doing her research for you," Himawari stated. He took off his black t-shirt. "I'm going to take a bath. You two do your studying."

Logan smiled. "Don't be worried about me, Yurie. This isn't my first conference. I go with the flow and adapt as I need to. No amount of preparation can truly get your ready for what trainers you'll meet."

"I just want to support you as much as possible."

"I know! How about we go and find a good place for dinner?"

"That sounds wonderful! I'm starving!"

"But we just ate?"

The two left the hotel room, and as they locked the door, they could hear the next door neighbor's door open. Logan looked over out of curiosity, and a giant smile formed across his face.

"Finn!" he yelled.

"What?! What?!" the boy with the lengthy brown hair and pale skin asked worryingly. He wore his usual black skinny jeans and red shirt with the erratic star patterns. He noticed Logan and sighed with relief. "Logan!"

"So, you made it, huh?" Logan asked. The two met in the hallway and exchanged a handshake.

"You know it! Can't knock me down that easily, my man!" Finn then looked at Yurie. "Good job on the Top 8 in the Hoenn Grand Festival. You were amazing!"

"Oh, thank you!"

"You going for some training?" asked Finn.

Logan shook his head. "Nah. I think I'm gonna give them a small rest before the conference."

Finn clicked his fingers together and then winked. "Good idea. Don't want to have an incident like last year."

"Incident?" Yurie wondered.

Logan nodded. "Sometimes, people can overwork their Pokémon into exhaustion. You have to know when to give them a break." Logan smiled and then winked at Yurie.

The three walked around Ever Grande City and looked at the various restaurants. Because it was a tournament that brought in trainers from all around the world, there were restaurants that were themed to be like other regions. Logan found a Unovan restaurant that looked like a diner from many decades ago. His eyes lit up as he noticed the jukebox.

"We're eating here tonight!" he declared.

That night they ate at the restaurant and enjoyed the festivities of Ever Grande City. There were too many people in the area, so they didn't come across any of the other trainers that they were already familiar with, but that was sure to change soon.

After the fun had ended, Logan took a bath, and then found himself on the balcony of his hotel room. He sat in his chair and looked out over Ever Grande City as the lights started to die down.

"How do you feel?" Yurie asked as she walked onto the balcony.

Logan smiled. "I feel great. So many strong trainers in one place, and my team is in great shape. Everyone is looking forward to battling too."

"Remember when we first met?"

Logan looked up at her. "Yeah. At Professor Birch's lab."

"You seem different from then."

Logan frowned. "Different in a bad way?"

She shook her head. "Not at all. I think seeing you like this is great. I know that you're going to do awesome."

Logan softly pet Mightyena behind the ears. "I know we will."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Originally, the only thing I had set for this chapter was for Duskull to evolve. Figured I could start setting up the scene for the Ever Grande Conference though.

Next chapter, it all begins. (Happy Thanksgiving)


	58. Passion! 500 With the Desire to Win!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 58 - Passion! 500 With the Desire to Win!**

* * *

"Here it comes!" Yurie cried out from the stands.

The group looked over and noticed a trainer entering the stadium. In his hands, he held a torch with a bright burning flame. The trainer ran down the middle of the field, passing by Logan, Finn, and Yuta. He was someone familiar to both Logan and Yurie: John Manson who competed in the Hoenn Grand Festival. He winked as he passed by Logan.

"I guess he made it," Logan mumbled. "He's not going to be easy."

John approached the bottom of the stairs that would lead him to the giant bowl at the top of the stadium and took one last breath. He then bounded upwards and within a minute, he was up at the top. He raised the torch as the crowd cheered and then placed it against the bowl, making a giant fire that illuminated the stadium.

A short man with a long white beard came to greet John, and he took the torch from him. In his other hand, he held a microphone.

"Thank you, John, for lighting the flame for us. Everyone, I'm Mr. Goodshow, and I'll be running things for the next few days. I hope that you all enjoy the activities, and trainers, I hope that you bring your best. Tomorrow, the competition will surely be heated."

Logan nodded and he looked around. Through the sea of trainers, he couldn't see Luna or Camille. Maybe they didn't make it, he thought. That was unlikely.

"Tomorrow will be the preliminary rounds. Unfortunately, more than half of you will not make it to the next round, but please do your best, and do not forget your experience here!"

* * *

That night, Yuta ate with the group, and he seemed much more happier than usual. His usual cool demeanor was replaced by a smile, and he even laughed at other people's jokes, which surprised Yurie.

"What's going on with you?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he wondered. His regular deadpan expression returned.

"You just seem… well… happy."

Yuta snorted. "Well, being here has always been one of my dreams. Tomorrow, I will start competing in my first ever conference. I have every reason in the world to be happy."

"I guess so."

"It looks like we'll be in different areas of Ever Grande City when we compete tomorrow. We won't be able to support each other," Logan said as he looked through the information.

Yuta shrugged. "That's okay. I don't need anyone's support."

"There it is…" Yurie mumbled.

* * *

The next day, Logan and Finn got up early. Their matches would start around 10 AM in one of the many courtyards, so they had to go quickly. They didn't want to end up being in the wrong area. Logan's match was earlier than Finn's, and the group made their way to the area that he'd be having his battle in.

There were small makeshift arenas inside of cages that lined up outside of the dome. Inside the cages were trainers having battles, and Logan's battle would take place in cage 7. He walked to the cage with his friends, and the referee let him in. His opponent was a little girl who looked about the age of Yurie.

_I'm going to feel bad about this._ Logan thought.

"This one on one single battle will be between Logan Stephenson from Unova and Ibushi Aiko from Dewford Town," the referee declared. "Begin!"

"Go, Sableye!" Aiko called as she threw her Poké Ball onto the field. A small Pokémon with purple diamonds for eyes appeared. Its movements were jittery, and it looked uncomfortable to be on the battlefield.

"Swampert, let's do this!" Logan said. Swampert burst onto the stage and danced around a little bit before he noticed Sableye. The two locked eyes, and then Swampert got serious.

"Sableye, use Shadow Claw!"

"Wait for it."

Sableye started to run forward, and one of her arms extended, and the shadowy energy that came from her body formed a giant claw. She then swiped at Swampert, but then Logan made his order.

"Waterfall!"

Swampert smacked his hands together, and water formed, surrounding both of his fists. He then lunged forward, uppercutting the Ghost-type Pokémon, sending her reeling back.

"Are you okay, Sableye?" Aiko asked. The Pokémon nodded and then let out a battle cry.

"Why is he not using his Mega Evolution?" Yurie wondered.

"Probably wants to save it for the bigger matches," Himawari suggested.

"Sableye, let's use Shadow Ball!"

"Respond with Ice Beam!"

As Sableye created a ball of dark energy, Swampert unleashed a beam of light blue onto the field. The two attacks crashed into each other, creating a small explosion of smoke.

"Zen Headbutt!" Aiko's voice called.

Sableye burst from the smoke, her head glowing with purple psychic energy, and she crashed into Swampert's large body. Swampert fell back, but then grabbed ahold of Sableye before she could get away.

"Waterfall!"

With Swampert's free arm, he created aquatic energy. He swiftly swung his arm, smashing the entirety of it into Sableye's small body. The Ghost-type flew into the air and then crashed down hard. She slowly stood back up.

"Power Gem!"

Sableye roared and then clawed at the ground, ripping a stone upwards. She then focused her energy, and the stone broke into smaller ones before they were all launched across the field.

"Protect!"

Swampert quickly created his barrier of blue energy, and all of the stones bounced off without damaging him.

"Waterfall once more!"

He put his hands together once again and jutted them forward, making him shoot across the field. He collided with the smaller Pokémon, making her fly into the fence. She weakly slumped to the ground, and the referee made his call.

"Sableye is unable to battle! Swampert and Logan are the winners!"

"We did it!" Logan yelled out. He ran onto the field and gave his Pokémon a high-five.

Aiko huffed as she returned her Pokémon, but then she smiled at Logan. "It was fun! Thanks for the battle! I'll try harder next year!"

Logan gave her a thumbs up. "Let's do our best!"

"Finn is about to start his battle too," Himawari exclaimed. "We should get going."

The three ran to the other side of the courtyards where they found Finn just stepping into cage eleven. He grinned as he saw them and then took in a deep breath.

"I wonder what he'll go with," Logan thought out loud.

"This following battle will be a one on one singles battle between Charlotte Everhart from Unova and Finn Denholm from Galar! Begin!"

Finn's opponent was a comely Unovan teenager with long black hair and a form fitting red dress. "Seviper, it's on you!" she shouted while tossing the Poké Ball to the field. A long serpentine Pokémon appeared and slithered to its side of the field.

"Delibird, show 'em your stuff!" Finn called. He threw a brown, orange, and white Poké Ball with a 'V' insignia on it forward. A medium-sized red and white bird Pokémon appeared. It snickered at the sight of the Seviper.

Logan smiled. "Good to see that Finn's still up to his old tricks."

"Poison Fang!" Charlotte ordered.

Her Seviper shot across the field and unhinged its mouth. Its long fangs started to glow purple as it came barreling towards Delibird.

"Give it something to eat! Seed Bomb!"

Delibird leapt into the air and reached into his bag. He revealed four small balls of green energy before tossing them towards the ground. Seviper bit down on one of them, causing it to explode and send the Poison-type reeling.

"Night Slash!" Charlotte screamed.

Seviper twisted its body around and then sprang into the air. It swung its tail around, now engulfed in dark energy, and smashed it against Delibird's body. The bird Pokémon crashed into the ground as Seviper landed safely, giving Charlotte the opportunity to make her next command.

"Flamethrower!"

"Ice Beam!"

The two Pokémon quickly unleashed their attacks, and they cancelled each other out, making a small explosion in the cage.

"How did Flamethrower not overpower an Ice-type attack?" Yurie wondered.

"Because Delibird is an Ice-type Pokémon, his Ice-type attacks are boosted whereas Seviper is not a Fire-type, so Flamethrower doesn't have any extra power behind it," Logan explained.

"Dragon Tail!"

"Drill Peck!"

The two Pokémon lunged forward into the smoke, and their bodies collided, but this time, Delibird was overpowered and then launched into the air.

"Give them Present!" Finn ordered.

Delibird grinned mischievously and reached into his bag. He pulled out a giant ball of white energy and then tossed it towards Seviper as the smoke from before disappeared. The ball connected with Seviper, causing a giant explosion. When the debris cleared, Seviper laid unconscious in the rubble.

The referee raised his flag. "Seviper is unable to battle. Delibird and Finn are the winners!"

"What was that move?" Yurie asked.

"That's called Present, and it's a risky move to do. You run the odds of potentially healing your opponent's Pokémon, but if you get lucky, like Finn just did, it can do enough power to equal a Fire Blast," Logan explained.

Finn approached his now wistful in appearance opponent and held out his hand. "Good battle!"

"No it wasn't," she snapped back.

"How rude," Himawari commented. "You'd think someone that beautiful would be nicer."

Finn put his hand behind his head and nervously ran his fingers through his curly brown hair. He then turned back around and exited the cage and approached his friends. He and Logan exchanged high-fives and then turned their attention to the giant display on the dome. Finn's face appeared as someone that would be moving on.

"Looks like we're gonna be kicking some butt in the next round!" Logan exclaimed.

Finn nodded and then pointed towards the corner of the screen. "Looks like Luna made it after all, and as expected, she's going to the next round."

Himawari brought their attention to the middle of the screen. "That Camille chick from Kalos made it too."

"And Yuta," Yurie muttered.

Logan grinned. "I'm not surprised one bit. Hopefully I'll get to battle with all of you."

Finn flexed his muscles. His arms were thin, which made them all laugh. "So, you think you can take this?"

The group went out for lunch once they found Yuta at one of the nearby restaurants while the other battles took place. With over two hundred battles necessary, it took a long time for them to finish, but eventually Mr. Goodshow's face and bright smile appeared on the giant screen.

"Trainers, good job today! I was delighted to see so many great matches and so many determined trainers. Tomorrow will be much more challenging though. As you know, Hoenn is the birthplace of double battles, so tomorrow, all 256 of our remaining trainers will be having double battles. But not just one, not two, but three."

Logan grinned. "This isn't coming as a surprise since Yurie did so much research!"

"If you win all three battles, then you have punched your ticket to the next round. These battles will take place one after another, so you will have very little time to rest your Pokémon, however, you can switch your Pokémon between battles," Mr. Goodshow explained. "Good luck, trainers! Let's put on a show!"

"Seems simple enough," Logan said. "We just have to win all three battles."

"Three battles in a row sounds exhausting. Realistically, we won't be able to have any of the combinations battle twice," Finn exclaimed.

Yuta shrugged. "That's fine with me. I have multiple Pokémon that I can use."

"You don't want to show off all of your Pokémon this early in the tournament," Logan said. "If you can, keep some of them a secret. Having three double battles means that you risk showing off a full team of six Pokémon. Some people only have six Pokémon, so this is where people start to show their hands."

* * *

The group went to bed early that night and were up and ready to battle at the crack of dawn. The double battles were set to be in the cages from before, and Logan received his ticket and quickly walked to his battlefield.

His opponent was a boy that was running a little bit late. He hadn't brushed his hair, and only half of his shirt was tucked in. He looked as though he had a rough night.

"Sorry," he said. "Let's have a good battle!"

_This kid looks like a disaster. This should be easy._ Logan thought.

"The will be a two on two double battle between Logan Stephenson and Abe Kou," the referee announced. "Begin!"

"Breloom, Swalot, let's do this!" Kou yelled as he fumbled around for his Poké Balls. Eventually, he was able to pull them off of his belt. He threw one into the air but dropped the other one. Nonetheless, both Pokémon were released onto the field.

"Flygon and Vigoroth, you're up!" Logan exclaimed. His Pokémon exploded on the field and were instantly prepared for battle.

"Gunk Shot! Dynamic Punch!" Kou commanded.

_Starting off with some powerful moves._ Logan thought. "Keep them back! Thunderbolt and Boomburst!"

Swalot opened his mouth wide and started to form purple acid at the back of his throat. With a disgusting sounding belch, he unleashed the purple goo into the air. Meanwhile, Breloom began to charge energy in his small fist, and he dashed forward.

Logan's Pokémon were ready to counterattack. Vigoroth raised her arms and then released sparks across the field, getting a direct hit onto Breloom. Flygon flew into the air and flapped her wings rapidly, creating sound waves that knocked back the Gunk Shot. Both of Kou's Pokémon were taken aback by the counterattacks, and they waited for their trainer's next instructions.

"Earthquake! Sky Uppercut!"

Swalot stretched out his body, and then like a spring, crashed all of his weight into the ground, shaking the battlefield in its entirety while Breloom shot into the air. The vibrations sent Vigoroth back, and as they continued to rumble, she continued to collapse. Breloom smashed its small fist into Flygon's cheek, sending the Dragon-type even higher into the air. Breloom landed perfectly on the ground as Swalot stopped his attack.

"Got ya!" Kou exclaimed. "Shadow Ball! Energy Ball!"

The two Pokémon formed balls of dark and green energy in front of their faces before they unleashed them forward, but Logan was prepared this time around.

"Aerial Ace! And give her a boost with Boomburst!"

As Vigoroth bounded forward, Flygon flew behind her. She flapped her wings, creating a violent force that sent Vigoroth flying even faster. She crashed through the green ball of energy, and the ball of dark energy flew right through her. With her extra boosted attack, she smashed one of her claws into Breloom, sending him flying backwards into the cage. When he slumped to the ground, the referee made his call.

"Breloom is unable to battle!"

Kou sighed as he returned his Pokémon. "Guess that leaves me with Swalot. That's okay! We work best under pressure!"

"Why isn't Logan using his other attacks with Flygon?" Yurie asked. "He could probably beat that Pokémon easily."

Himawari smiled. "Because everything he does right now will be watched by other trainers. He can't reveal all of his tricks just yet."

"Body Slam!"

With a heave, Swalot shot into the air, his shadow overtaking the battlefield. He came down crashing hard onto Flygon, making the Dragon-type screech.

"Thunderbolt!" Logan instructed.

Vigoroth unleashed another surge of electrical energy from her body, this time zapping both Swalot and Flygon directly. Flygon wasn't affected though and grinned as she saw an opening.

"Finish it with Boomburst!" Logan ordered.

As Swalot groaned in pain, the ground started to shake. Sound waves began to emit from Flygon, and soon, with one burst of energy, she blasted the large purple Pokémon into the air. Swalot landed hard on the ground and instantly fainted.

"Swalot is unable to battle! Vigoroth, Flygon, and Logan are the victors!"

"Yeah!" Logan yelled out while he ran to his Pokémon, and the three of them celebrated together. He then returned his Pokémon and then exited the cage, meeting with his friends.

"Looks like Finn also won his first battle," Himawari said as he looked up at the giant screen. "That's a relief."

Logan nodded. "I have ten minutes to get to my next battle. Let's go!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Alright! First few battles of the Ever Grande Conference are done. These are all pretty short and simple, but when/if we get to the full battles, it'll get a lot more intense. I do intend to write some of Logan's rivals battles. You'll definitely being seeing at least one battle featuring each of them.

Alright. Moving forward! Next chapter, we'll finalize the the next round and then there will be a surprise. Something that I've been waiting to do with Healing in Hoenn for months.


	59. Double Battling Mayhem!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 59 - Double Battling Mayhem!**

* * *

"Yuta won his first match," Himawari said as the three walked towards Logan's next battle. Himawari was constantly watching the screen, looking out for Logan's rivals and friends. "Camille too."

"Not surprised," Logan mumbled quietly. "I just need to make sure that I don't lose."

Inside of Logan's next cage stood a boy, roughly the age of sixteen, with his arms crossed. He glared as Logan opened the door.

"You're late," he snapped.

Logan looked at the time. "I'm a minute early."

"We're running on my time, boy," the teenager said aggressively.

_Oh, I can't wait for this._ Logan thought as he walked to his trainer's box.

"This will be a two on two double battle between Jet Swanson and Logan Stephenson! Begin!"

"Swampert! Manectric! Let's go!"

Logan's two Pokémon appeared on the field. Swampert danced, and Manectric growled, but they were both ready for a fight.

"You don't stand a chance against my unstoppable team!" Jet declared. "Go, Volbeat! Go, Illumise!" Two small Bug-type Pokémon appeared on the field, and they looked at one another playfully before setting their eyes on Logan's Pokémon.

_Two little cute Bug-type Pokémon? Don't judge a book by its cover, but this definitely comes off as a joke._ Logan thought.

"Illumise, start with Infestation! Volbeat, use Bug Buzz!"

"Swampert, use Waterfall! Manectric, hit them with Thunder!"

Illumise started to shake her body and a thin dark green powder fell from her. The powder then shot across the field straight towards Swampert while he charged forward with his hands covered in aquatic energy. The powder covered Swampert, but seemingly did nothing, and the Water-type swung his giant fist, smashing it into Illumise. Meanwhile, Volbeat flew towards Manectric while flapping his tiny wings rapidly, projecting a green energy from his body. But Manectric's Thunder was too strong, and once it hit, Volbeat was knocked from the sky. All of the Pokémon retreated back to their positions and then waited for their trainers' next commands.

"Swampert, lets-" Logan started, but then Swampert started to screech. "What?!"

Swampert fell to the ground as the powder from before started to cover his body, seemingly biting into his skin.

"That's Infestation for you," Jet exclaimed. "Now watch as your big bad Pokémon slowly falls from grace!"

_Ah, man. Alright, so this guy is good. We're going to have to be careful but quick. _Logan thought.

"Illumise, Helping Hand!" Jet commanded.

Illumise's arms started to glow and she waved them around as though she was a cheerleader. The energy flew from her arms and enveloped Volbeat. The Bug-type grinned as he was filled with the energy.

"Zen Headbutt!"

The top of Volbeat's head started to glow, and then he jumped towards Logan's Pokémon.

"Give 'em a Thunder!" Logan ordered.

Manectric bounded forward and released the electric energy from his body once more. It crashed down onto Volbeat, but the Bug-type ignored the pain and continued on his path.

"Ice Beam!" Logan yelled, but Swampert was still struggling with his pain, and he couldn't move.

Volbeat then collided with Manectric, sending the Electric-type flying backwards, but he landed on his feet and then awaited Logan's next command.

"Helping Hand!" Jet yelled.

Illumise started waving her arms around once more in response.

_Illumise is the support Pokémon on their team, so I should definitely try to take it out if I can. But it's also able to use Infestation, so I can't get too close. If Manectric and Swampert are both hit with that ailment, then I'm gonna be in a bad situation._.

"Double-Edge!"

Volbeat jumped forward again as white energy exploded off of his body.

"We gotta do it! Flamethrower!" Logan yelled.

Manectric jumped into the air and released flames from his mouth towards Volbeat. The Bug-type stopped his attack and then flew up a little bit, avoiding the flames.

"Ice Beam!" Logan's voice called.

From the flames, a beam of light blue energy appeared. It blasted through and collided with Illumise directly, freezing her legs to the ground.

"Illumise, no!" Jet screamed.

"Waterfall!"

"Fight back with Dazzling Gleam!"

Swampert roared as he fought through the pain of his infestation. He ran through the flames and then dove forward, while Illumise released a bright pink light from her body. Swampert ignored the light to his best abilities and smashed his arms into the female Bug-type. Illumise crashed into the cage behind Jet and then slumped to the ground.

"Illumise is unable to battle!"

Swampert let out a cry as the infestation started to crawl over his body once more.

"Volbeat, target Swampert with a Bug Buzz!"

Volbeat, now in the middle of the field between Swampert and Manectric, turned his body and then flew towards the Water-type while energy exploded from his body.

"Ice Beam! Flamethrower!"

Logan's Pokémon both released their attacks towards the middle of the field. Fire and ice clashed onto Volbeat, causing an explosion. When the dust cleared, Volbeat was left on the ground, and Swampert collapsed.

"Volbeat is unable to battle! Swampert, Manectric, and Logan are the winners!" the referee declared.

Jet returned his Pokémon and then roared with anger. He quickly left the cage and forcefully pushed Himawari and Yurie out the way before disappearing into the crowd.

Logan ran to Swampert and knelt down. The rashes on his body evinced that the infestation had quickly done its toll. "You okay, buddy?"

Swampert let out a soft groan before Logan returned him to his Poké Ball. "We'll get you to a Nurse Joy as soon as possible." He then returned Manectric and left the cage to meet with his friends.

"That didn't look easy," Yurie said. "Is Swampert okay?"

Logan looked down at his Poké Ball and then handed it over to Yurie. "Can you take Swampert to the Pokémon Center? I have to get to my last battle, and I don't have time right now."

Himawari grabbed the ball from Yurie. "I'll take him. You two get to the last match. You better win it though!" With that, he turned and started to run towards the Pokémon Center that was inside the dome.

"Let's go," Logan said. He, Yurie, and his Mightyena were then off for his last battle.

Yurie looked up at the screen as they ran, noticing that Finn and Yuta had won their second battles. "Looks like you may end up facing our friends after all."

"And Luna?" Logan wondered.

Yurie continued to look. "Yep. She's won her second battle too."

The two arrived at Logan's last cage, and he quickly entered it, handing over his last ticket with his name on it to the referee.

He looked at his opponent, a boy around the same age as him. He wore a green vest, white hat, and had a bright smile on his face.

This probably won't be easy. I can't have Flygon battle because Swalot took too much out of her. Vigoroth and Manectric have already used a decent amount of energy. I may have no choice but to go with Mightyena and Dusclops.

"This final battle of the qualifying rounds will be between Jackson Yuasa and Logan Stephenson! It will be a two on two double battle," the referee announced. "The winner will move onto the final rounds and the Top 32. Begin!"

"Exploud! Porygon-Z! Go!" Jackson yelled while releasing his two Pokémon. One was a giant light purple Pokémon with a wide gaping mouth and angry eyes. The other was a smooth purple and blue Pokémon that floated in the air with eradicate movements.

Logan knelt down and tightened the Wailmer print towel that was around Mightyena's neck. "Let's do this!" Mightyena barked and then ran onto the field as Logan tossed his other Poké Ball into the air. Dusclops appeared and glanced suspiciously at their opponents.

"Exploud, use Stomp! Porygon-Z, hit 'em with Aerial Ace!" Jackson commanded.

His two Pokémon jumped forward, energy forming at Exploud's feet and at the tip of Porygon-Z's nose.

"Fight back with Thunder Punch and Iron Tail!"

As Dusclops' fist started to emit electric sparks, Mightyena leapt into the air and twisted his body. The four Pokémon all collided with one another, knocking each other back.

"Fire Fang!" Jet yelled.

Exploud's maw gaped open, and fire exploded from his teeth. He then clamped down onto Dusclops, making the Ghost-type seemingly squish flat. Dusclops quickly recovered though.

"Fire Punch!" Logan instructed.

The Ghost-type's fist became engulfed with flames and then he launched it like a rocket towards Exploud, knocking the Normal-type silly.

"Signal Beam!" Jackson commanded.

From the tip of Porygon-Z's nose, it released a multi-colored beam.

"Bug-type move! Let's dodge it!" Logan yelled.

Mightyena was quick. He lifted his front side and then dove into the ground, digging a hole.

"Iron Tail!"

Mightyena exploded from the ground below Porygon-Z and turned his body, smashing his ironhard tail into the Normal-type and tossing it into the air.

"Yeah!" Logan cheered.

"Zap Cannon!"

Mightyena looked up into the sky as Porygon-Z hid itself within the brightness of the sun. Because of this, Mightyena had to squint to focus, but within seconds, a ball of electric energy crashed down onto him, creating an explosion.

"Mightyena!" Logan screamed.

The dust faded, and Mightyena still stood, but he was clearly injured. His body sparked with electricity, and he couldn't move.

"Rock Slide!" Jackson's voice called.

Exploud jumped back and stomped into the field, making stones jut out from the ground. He grabbed ahold of a bunch of them and flung them towards Logan's Pokémon.

"Shadow Punch!" Logan ordered.

Dusclops took note of Mightyena's condition and jumped in front of his partner. He then started to swing his fists around, destroying the stones as they fell towards them.

"Hyper Beam!"

Porygon-Z formed a ball of bright energy in front of his face before unleashing a beam onto the field. The ground below the beam was torn to shreds, and it passed right through Dusclops, crashing into Mightyena and throwing the Dark-type into the cage behind Logan.

Logan looked at his Pokémon in disbelief as he slumped to the ground. He had never seen a Hyper Beam of that power before.

"Mightyena is unable to battle!" the referee called.

Logan lifted his Poké Ball and returned the Dark-type. He turned to face the field and examine his situation. "That's some insane power that you have there."

"My Porygon-Z's ability is Adaptability, which means that the normal boost that it would give Normal-type attacks is even more increased. The power of my Hyper Beam is doubled," Jackson explained.

_That's dangerous against Mightyena, but Dusclops will be fine moving forward._

"C'mon, Logan…" Yurie whispered.

"We have to go all out, Dusclops. We can't hide any of our tricks this time around," Logan said.

Dusclops nodded.

"Fire Fang!" Jackson commanded.

As Porygon-Z recharged its energy, Exploud ran across the field with his jaws blazing with fire.

"Fight back with your Fire Punch!"

Dusclops ran as fast as he could to meet Exploud in the middle of the field. He punched the Normal-type in the nose, making Exploud fall back a few feet, and then Dusclops turned his attention to Porygon-Z.

"Ice Beam!" Logan yelled.

Dusclops reeled back as he charged energy before unleashing it onto the field. Porygon-Z was frozen in mid-air and it fell to the ground, unable to move.

"Porygon-Z is unable to battle!" the referee announced.

"No!" Jackson said as he returned his Pokémon. "Exploud, use Rock Slide!"

"Defensive Shadow Punch!"

As Exploud tossed the stones into the air at the Ghost-type, Dusclops released a flurry of punches, pinpointing all of the dangerous rocks and destroying them with ease. But with every punch, Dusclops was losing energy, and Exploud was getting closer.

"Fire Fang!"

"Ice Beam!"

Exploud gaped open his maw once more and prepared to create fire, but Dusclops was quick. He unleashed his beam of ice directly into the wide jawed Pokémon's mouth. Exploud screeched as the ice froze over his teeth, and then he fell back.

The referee closely examined Exploud and then made his call. "Exploud is unable to battle! Dusclops and Logan are the winners!"

"Yeah!" Logan and Yurie yelled in unison. Logan then ran out onto the field and patted his Pokémon on the back.

"That was fun," Jackson said as he returned his Exploud. "Let's have a rematch some day!"

Logan nodded. "You got it!"

* * *

"You actually made it to the Top 32!" Himawari exclaimed as he smacked Logan on the back. "That leaves you with only five more battles, buddy!" He handed over Swampert's Poké Ball. "He'll be just fine."

"Five more battles with the best trainers currently in Hoenn," Logan said. He looked up at the screen. Camille made it too, and she was set to be his next opponent. He quickly found Finn's face, and he sighed with relief. He kept looking. To no surprise, Yuta was also there. And Luna was on the bracket as the number one seed. He continued to gaze at the bracket, and he found John Manson, but it was John's opponent that surprised him the most. "What the…"

"Hey, Logan," a voice called from behind.

The group turned to find someone familiar. A girl dressed in a tightly fit green dress with golden trim and pitch black hair.

"Mao?" Logan wondered. "You-you're competing?"

Mao chuckled. "It's been awhile, but school is out, so I spent that last month flying around, and I collected the gym badges from around Hoenn. You can't deny me a match if it's in an official capacity."

Logan stared at her shock, but then his expression soon changed and he began to smile. "Looks like I'll get my chance to avenge my previous loss."

"Only if you play smart," a voice said from behind him.

Logan turned around to find Luna. She pulled back her dark brown hair into a small ponytail, and she was wearing her usual jean shorts and purple plaid shirt. She glared at him with her dark brown eyes, something Logan wasn't used to.

"It's nice to see you again," Logan said. He remained stone faced, but his words were sincere.

Luna looked down at Logan's boot and frowned. "I heard about what happened. I'm glad you didn't die."

"Thanks to me," Himawari interjected with a wide grin.

Logan put his hands at his sides. "I can't die until I beat you. I'm too tough for it."

"Your Pokémon from Hoenn are weak. I watched the replays from today. If you compare them to the ones that you used in Unova and Alola, they're nothing." She glanced at Mightyena. "But even more so if you compare them to my Pokémon. If you really want to beat me _or_ Mao, you're going to have to use your old Pokémon."

"His Hoenn Pokémon are really strong!" Yurie chimed in.

"What do you know?" Luna snapped.

Mao walked over to Luna and put her hands on her shoulders. "Let's go grab a bite to eat, Luna! We should catch up!"

Luna shot one more glance at Logan before the two turned and walked away.

"What are you going to do?" Himawari asked.

Logan smiled. "Well, I planned on calling all of my older Pokémon over to Hoenn anyways, so yeah. But she'll see just how strong my Hoenn Pokémon are." Mightyena snarled in Luna's general direction.

* * *

"All of them?" Juniper asked over the computer screen.

"All of them," Logan responded. "Because I made it to the Top 32, I'm allowed to carry all of my Pokémon with me. They provided a great area for them."

Juniper smiled. "I'm so happy to see how confident you are. I'll send them over right away. I'm sure they'll be glad to battle alongside you again."

Yurie looked at Himawari. "We're going to get to see all of Logan's Pokémon!"

"All of them!" Himawari exclaimed.

* * *

"Alright, everyone! C'mon out!" Logan yelled while he lifted all of his Poké Balls in his arms. He tossed them into the air, and a multitude of Pokémon appeared in front of them. They each stretched out and roared, and upon seeing Logan, wide smiles came across their faces. Logan looked at all of them and grinned from ear to ear. He ran to them, and one of the bigger ones lifted him into the air.

"Emboar!" the Pokémon cried out happily.

"I'm happy to see you too!" Logan replied. "Guys, come and meet my Pokémon!"

Yurie, Himawari, and all of Logan's Hoenn Pokémon slowly approached the group.

"Okay, first!" Logan said while he motioned to his newer Pokémon. "This is Swampert, Mightyena, Vigoroth, Manectric, Flygon, and Dusclops! They're your new team members and family, so please treat them well!"

The Unovan and Alolan Pokémon cheered happily.

"And now…" Logan said. He turned to all of his older Pokémon and took a deep breath. "This is Emboar. I started my journey with him. There's Fraxure, Zorua, and Emolga. They may be small, but they make up for it with speed and strategy. Then we have Seismitoad who may appear nervous, but he's one of my powerhouses. And Excadrill. He's one of the most versatile Pokémon that I've ever raised, but he is also a bit old."

"They look so strong!" Yurie noted. She looked at Zorua. "But so cute too!"

Logan moved over to the next group of Pokémon. He fist bumped one of them, and they grinned at each other. "This is Incineroar. He was the first Pokémon that I got when I went to Alola. There's Toucannon, Raichu, Crabominable, and Golisopod. They're all incredibly strong. Raichu was one of my aces when I battled in the Alolan League. And finally is Lycanroc. Don't let the scary eyes and demeanor scare you. He's a sweetheart." Logan ran his hands through the Pokémon's mane.

"I guess I get it," Himawari said as he looked at all of the Pokémon. "Everyone was saying that you're tough, and now that I see your Pokémon, I get it."

Logan looked at all of his Pokémon. "We have tomorrow off, but starting the next day, we're going to be battling some of the strongest trainers that we've ever seen. Our first match is against a trainer named Camille. Tonight, I want us to relax and play. Tomorrow, we're set for some intense training. Understand?"

His Pokémon all cheered.

"Good!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Next chapter is Logan vs. Camille. I'll also be writing John vs. Mao, but that'll be Chapter 61.

Alright. From the next chapter on things are going to get intense.


	60. Vanity! Logan vs Camille!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 60 - Vanity! Logan vs. Camille!**

* * *

"Hello, everyone, and welcome to the first match of the Top 32! We have a doozy for you today. It's a battle between two foreigners as we have Unova's Logan Stephenson taking on Kalos' Camille Beaulieu! Both trainers have a history of putting on wonderful matches in past conferences, so they're sure to stun us today," the announcer said.

Logan laughed as he walked to his trainer's box. "That's a lot of pressure that he's putting on us."

Camille glared at Logan as they locked eyes and then a cocky smile came across her face. "Good luck, Unova."

"So, what do you know about Camille?" Himawari asked Finn. The night before, Finn had helped Logan with his research.

"During the double battles, she stuck to three different Pokémon, and Logan was able to give me info on other Pokémon that she used, so there's a chance that we may have figured out her full team. But you never know," Finn said. "She could have some secrets."

"I hope Logan sweeps it!" Yurie yelled.

"The following battle will be a six on six full battle between Logan Stephenson from Unova and Camille Beaulieu from Kalos. We will take a small break when one side has lost three Pokémon. The first half of this battle will take place on the rock field!" the referee announced.

The battlefield started to shake, and it split down the middle, opening a giant hole in the ground. A new, artificial battlefield rose from the hole. It was covered in dirt and multiple large stones that jutted from the earth.

"Begin!"

The crowd cheered as both trainers drew out their Poké Balls and tossed them onto the field. Logan's side revealed Flygon, and Camille's Pokémon was the familiar white Pokémon that she battled Himawari with, Meowstic. The two Pokémon's faces appeared on the screen next to Logan and Camille's faces, and the battle had started.

"Don't hold back! Use Shadow Ball!" Camille ordered.

"Into the air! Use Boomburst!"

Meowstic formed a ball of shadowy energy in the palm of her hand and then launched it into the air towards Flygon who started to flap her wings violently. The energy that Flygon created sent the ball back crashing into the ground.

"Now, Fire Blast!"

Flygon opened her mouth and released a massive burst of flames towards Meowstic.

"Psychic!"

Meowstic focused her energy as she raised her arms. Her eyes started to glow blue, and the fire from Flygon suddenly stopped. Meowstic screeched as she used her psychic powers to bury the fire into the ground, extinguishing it.

"I hate that move," Logan muttered.

"Now, Signal Beam!" Camille ordered.

Meowstic raised her arm into the air and released a multicolored beam from the palm of her hand. The beam collided with Flygon and sent her towards the ground, but she recovered quickly.

"Earthquake!" Logan yelled.

Flygon nodded and then shot downwards. She slammed her giant legs into the ground, shaking the entire stadium. Meowstic was tossed into the air and completely lost her balance.

"Dragon Rush!"

Flygon cried out as arcane energy fire enveloped her body. She spread her wings and then flew forward, crashing her body into the small Psychic-type.

"Hyper Beam!" Camille ordered

"Fire Blast!"

From close-range, the two Pokémon unleashed their attacks, causing an explosion and sending them both flying backwards. Flygon was able to backflip and landed on one of the stones, but Meowstic did not stick a perfect landing.

"One more Boomburst!" Logan instructed.

Flygon began to flap her wings violently once more, sending waves of energy across the field. The sound waves washed over Meowstic, tossing her into the wall behind Camille. She slowly slid down the wall and fell to the ground unconscious.

"Meowstic is unable to battle! Flygon wins!" the referee declared

Camille sighed and returned her Pokémon. "Looks like he's not messing around." She pulled out her next Poké Ball. "But neither are we! Go, Ludicolo!"

A big Pokémon with a round furry body appeared. It danced around a little bit and then pointed at Flygon as though it was asking her to 'c'mon.' Flygon looked in disgust at the Pokémon.

_If I remember correctly, this Pokémon is half Grass-type, which means that Fire Blast will do decent damage. Just have to make sure that we'll hit though. This thing looks dangerous. _Logan thought.

Ludicolo smiled goofily with its beak.

"Flygon, let's get in close with Dragon Rush!" Logan ordered.

Flygon shot across the field once more while blue fire erupted from her body.

"Scald!"

Ludicolo's cheeks puffed out as he built up water in his mouth. He then released the water into the air, steam coming off of it.

"Dodge it!" Logan ordered.

Flygon rolled, avoiding the attack, but this broke her focus, and the blue flames from before died down.

"In that case, hit it with Fire Blast!"

"Ice Beam!"

The two Pokémon released their attacks, leading to a small explosion in the air, but Camille was ready.

"One more!"

A beam of light blue blasted through the smoke of the explosion and connected with Flygon directly. The Dragon-type howled as the ice froze over her body, and then she fell to the ground unconscious.

The referee raised his flag. "Flygon is unable to battle. Ludicolo is the winner."

The crowd cheered as Logan returned his Pokémon. He looked out at Camille who was grinning at him. He pulled his next Poké Ball from his belt and looked at it. It looked older with rust on the hinges and some of the paint wearing off. He grinned and then tossed it into the air. A large brown Pokémon with two giant claws of metal appeared. It looked calmly at Ludicolo.

"What?! Why?!" Finn screamed.

"What? What's the problem?" Yurie asked.

"Ludicolo is a dual type Pokémon with both Water-type and Grass-type attributes. It's very strong against Ground-types, and guess what Logan just chose?" Finn exclaimed.

"A Ground-type Pokémon…"

Camille laughed. "You still have those moronic strategies, Unova! But go ahead, make my day easier!"

Logan simply grinned.

"If you're going to give us an opening, fine! Start with Solarbeam!"

Ludicolo began to dance and make its body wide, absorbing the sunlight that entered the stadium.

"Aerial Ace!" Logan ordered.

White energy exploded from Excadrill's right claw, and he jumped forward at an amazing speed. Before Ludicolo could finish charging up energy, Excadrill jabbed at his midsection. Ludicolo yelped as he jumped backwards. He keeled over and held at his stomach.

"We'll take another tactic then!" Camille yelled. "Target those claws! Use Focus Blast!"

Ludicolo took in a breath as he hunched over and started to create a ball of energy in his palms.

"Don't let him! Horn Drill!"

Ludicolo unleashed a blast of blue and black energy onto the field as Excadrill ran forward. He put his claws together, leapt into the air, and started spinning in a similar fashion to a drill. He barreled through Ludicolo's energy blast like it was nothing, and then continued, connecting directly with the Water-type. Ludicolo let out a single yelp before he fell back and his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

"Ludicolo is unable to battle! Excadrill is the winner!"

Camille huffed and then returned her Pokémon. She quickly pulled out her next Poké Ball and then tossed it onto the field. Sylveon appeared and howled to get itself pumped for battle.

"Criticize me and then do exactly what I do," Logan said. "Is that a Kalos thing?"

Camille didn't respond. She just continued to glare at Logan.

"Alright then. Drill Run!"

Excadrill put his claws together, a bit worn down from the previous Focus Blast, and then he jumped into the air and started spinning. He crashed into the rocky terrain and then shot forward, drilling through the earth towards Sylveon.

"Giga Impact!"

Sylveon grinned as she darted forward. Energy exploded from the front of her body and she took on Excadrill's attack head on. The two bounced off of one another, sending out a blast of energy across the stadium, making it rumble.

"Metal Claw!"

"Iron Tail!"

Both Pokémon, now in the air, attempted their attacks, twisting their bodies and clanging steel against steel. The two then jumped back, creating a bit more distance between one another.

"Moonblast!" Camille yelled.

Sylveon howled and sent a small ball of pink energy into the air. The energy morphed, forming an artificial moon above the stadium. It then began to shift and fall downwards at Excadrill.

"Metal Claw!"

Excadrill, tired from the battle, lifted his claws into the air. He swiped as the moon fell to the ground, causing an explosion of fairy energy. The crowd awed at the bright light, and once they could see again, everyone was surprised to find Excadrill still standing.

"Excadrill just took the full power of a Moonblast! How is he still standing?" Himawari yelled.

Finn grinned. "That Excadrill is older than Logan, and he has the will of a stubborn old man. Camille is going to have to do something much stronger than that to finish him."

Logan observed as his Pokémon breathed heavily from the blast. He knew that his Pokémon didn't have much left in him. "One more Horn Drill!"

Excadrill nodded and then started to walk forward and begin his attack.

"Not good. Finish this with Last Resort!"

A golden aura started to form around Sylveon's body as she ran forward. She jumped into the air, and the aura took the shape of a star, fulling encompassing her body. The two Pokémon collided, causing a small explosion, and flinging both of them back. Both of their bodies fell limp onto the rocky terrain, and neither of them made an effort to stand back up.

The referee raised both of his flags. "Excadrill and Sylveon are both unable to battle! Camille has lost three of her Pokémon, so we will now go into a fifteen minute break!"

The crowd cheered and some people started to file out to the concession stands. Camille and Logan returned their Pokéon and then both walked to the backroom as music played.

"Intense so far, eh?" Logan said with a grin.

Camille glared. "Don't talk to me until the battle is over."

Logan was baffled. He watched as Camille opened the door to the backroom and then slammed it. He slowly peaked his head in and found Mao. She waved him over, and he took a seat next to her on the bench.

"So far so good," she said with a smile.

Logan nodded. "I guess so. I feel bad making Excadrill battle though."

"Excadrill likes to fight. That's why Clay gave you him," Mao responded. "But maybe it would be a good time to retire him officially."

Logan watched as the screen showed quick replays and some clips of their battle. "I used Excadrill as a way to bait out Sylveon, and I'm glad it paid off. I still have four Pokémon left, and she's left with three. I'm worried about the Typhlosion that I know is waiting for me. Other than that, I'm a bit left in the dark about what's coming."

"Just battle with your heart!"

"You know I will!"

The fifteen minutes were soon up, and Logan and Camille found themselves back on the field. It had changed from the rocky terrain to one that looked like a simple field, but with a small pool in the middle. The grass on this field was short, and it appeared wet.

"The second part of this battle will now begin!" the referee declared while raising both of his flags.

"Go, Vigoroth!" Logan yelled while throwing his Luxury Ball into the wet grass. Vigoroth appeared and stamped her feet.

"No chances this time, Logan. Chesnaught, it's all on you!" Camille exclaimed. Her Pokémon, a large beige Pokémon with long arms and a giant shell draped on his shoulders, appeared. He looked calmly at Vigoroth. "Rollout!" she ordered.

Chesnaught hoisted his large body into the air and then curled into a ball. He crashed into the ground as he started to spin, and then he shot forward, destroying the land below him.

"Thunderbolt!" Logan yelled.

Vigoroth took in a deep breath before unleashing an electrical current across the field. It connected directly with the rolling Chesnaught, but it didn't stop the attack. Chesnaught barreled through, crashing into Vigoroth and sending her backwards.

"Hammer Arm!" Camille yelled.

In the blink of an eye, Chesnaught stopped his movements. He reached out his long arm and pushed himself on the ground. As he continued to spin, he extended his free arm, now glowing with energy. He swung it into Vigoroth, knocking the Normal-type backwards. Vigoroth blew past Logan and crashed into the wall behind him.

Logan turned around and looked at his Pokémon. There was no way that Vigoroth was going to get back up.

"Vigoroth is unable to battle! Chesnaught is the winner!"

Logan returned Vigoroth and then looked out onto the field. Chesnaught was slightly laughing to himself. Camille's grin had returned to her face. "Glad to see you smiling."

"I'm happy when I'm winning."

Logan pulled his next Poké Ball from his belt. "I'm taking a guess that Chesnaught was your first Pokémon."

Camille nodded. "Yep! Been with me since I started in Kalos!"

"In that case, let me introduce you to my old friend: Emboar!"

Emboar appeared onto the field, and he puffed out his chest. A small white flower was tucked snuggly behind his ear.

"He's still wearing the flower I gave him!" Yurie exclaimed happily.

"Chesnaught, use Rollout!"

"Keep it back with Flamethrower!"

As Chesnaught rolled forward at an unbelievable speed, Emboar opened his mouth and unleashed flames onto the field. The stream of flames connected with Chesnaught, and for a moment, it seemed like it would stop him, but it didn't. Chesnaught barreled through the flames, crashing into Emboar.

"Grab 'em!"

Emboar, taking the full blow of the attack, reached out his large arms and grabbed ahold of Chesnaught's shell. Chesnaught peaked his head out and appeared to be confused.

"Head Smash!" Logan yelled.

The Fire-type reeled his head back and closed his eyes. He then lunged forward, headbutting Chesnaught as hard as he could, sending the giant Pokémon flying backwards. Emboar stumbled about and held at his head.

Chesnaught landed on the ground but then quickly recovered and waited for his trainers next command.

"Giga Impact!" she yelled.

"Wild Charge!"

The two Pokémon started to run across the field. White energy formed in front of Chesnaught's body while electricity exploded off of Emboar. The two Pokémon collided near the small pool of water, sending out waves that ended up shooting the water into the air. It rained back down onto the field on the two Pokémon. Once the dust cleared, both Pokémon stood strong, gripping onto each other and trying to push back.

"It's like two sumo wrestlers that are just too stubborn to quit," Himawari said.

"He's gotta recharge!" Logan yelled. "Flamethrower!"

Logan was right. Chesnaught was unable to do anything as Emboar unleashed flames at close-range. The flames engulfed the Grass-type, and he rolled back, using the water in the grass to extinguish the fire.

"Show him your strength Chesnaught! Wood Hammer!"

"Hammer Arm, Emboar!"

The two Pokémon swung their arms at one another, and they collided, but neither of them flinched. They stayed in place, waiting for their trainers next command.

Camille groaned. "Use Rollout!"

Chesnaught let go of his attack and then quickly rolled into a ball. He shot forward, connecting with Emboar at close-range. He turned around and then shot back for one more hit.

"Head Smash!" Logan yelled desperately.

Emboar roared as he pulled his head back. Moments before Chesnaught could attack once more, he lunged forward, smashing his head into the ball that was Chesnaught. The Grass-type stopped rolling, revealing that Emboar had gotten a direct hit on the head. Chesnaught's body uncurled, and he weakly collapsed to the ground.

"Chesnaught is unable to battle! Emboar is the winner!"

Camille returned her Pokémon as Emboar stumbled backwards. He fell onto his backside and then laughed.

_He's got one more attack in him before it's over._ Logan thought.

"Chesnaught couldn't get the job done, but that's okay," Camille said. "My next Pokémon will make up for it with her speed."

"Chesnaught couldn't get the job done?" Logan wondered. "Don't think that you're unaccountable for your own battles, Camille. Chesnaught is insanely strong. You couldn't get the job done."

"Logan looks angry," Himawari muttered.

Camille huffed and without a word, her Swellow exploded onto the field. She soared through the air as the crowd awed.

"A Flying-type. We need to be careful, Emboar!"

"Emboar!"

"Air Slash!"

"Flamethrower!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks, and the energy collided in the air, but Emboar's attack was weak, and the aerial energy slashed through. Air Slash continued downwards and crashed into Emboar, making the Fire-type call out. When the dust cleared, he remained standing, and he growled at Swellow.

"I can't believe it," Camille muttered. "One more Air Slash!"

Swellow flew forward once more and unleashed the aerial energy from her wings. The energy came down onto Emboar, and he instantly collapsed to the ground.

"Emboar is unable to battle! Swellow is the winner!"

Logan returned Emboar and then held his Poké Ball tightly. "You did a wonderful job, my friend."

"I take it that was your strongest Pokémon?" Camille taunted. "I'm just getting started."

Logan grinned and pulled a Premier Ball from his belt. "You know nothing." He threw the white Poké Ball into the air, and a big Pokémon with an enormous beak appeared. The bird Pokémon landed on the ground and glared daggers at Swellow. "Meet my Toucannon!"

"Use Endeavor!" Camille yelled.

Red energy came over Swellow's body and then she flew forward, but Logan was ready.

"Steel Wing!"

Toucannon spread out her wingspan wide and then shot forward as her wings became hard as steel. The two Pokémon clashed in the middle of the air, knocking one another back.

"Air Slash!"

"Bullet Seed!"

As Swellow unleashed the wind energy from her wings, Toucannon gaped open her large beak, releasing a barrage of seeds. The attacks fought against one another, causing a small explosion in the air.

"Brave Bird!" Camille screamed.

As energy exploded from Swellow's body, she emerged from the smoke and darted towards Toucannon.

"Beak Blast!"

Toucannon calmly watched as Swellow came towards her. Her beak began to glow orange, and Swellow tackled into her, sending both Pokémon towards the ground. They both quickly recovered and then flew to their respective sides of the field, but then flames suddenly engulfed Swellow, and she collapsed.

"What?!" Camille yelled.

"Burned!" Logan exclaimed. "Finish this, Toucannon!"

Toucannon opened her mouth and the energy from her beak formed into an orange ball. She unleashed a giant beam of energy towards Swellow, but Camille was ready.

"Hyper Beam!"

Swellow leapt into the air and released her own beam of orange. The two attacks collided, but Swellow's burn condition made her unable to focus, and she collapsed once more. Toucannon's beam continued forward, engulfing Swellow. When the attack ended, Swellow fell limply to the ground.

"No…" Camille muttered. She lifted her Poké Ball and returned Swellow.

"Toucannon is one of my powerhouses. She takes a lot of pride in being the strongest Flying-type around," Logan said with a grin. He looked at his Pokémon who was slightly worn out from the Brave Bird attack.

"My next Pokémon is my strongest, Logan. She will not fail me."

Logan shook his head and sighed.

"Typhlosion, go!"

Typhlosion appeared on the field and let out a battle cry. Flames exploded from her shoulders and lower back, and she slowly took a battle position as she glared at Toucannon.

"Not a surprise," Finn said. "She's used Typhlosion in every battle until now."

_Can't rely on having Beak Blast burn Typhlosion this time around. Typhlosion also has Eruption, and I've gotta watch out for it._ Logan thought.

"Focus Blast!" Camille yelled.

Typhlosion nodded and then put her two hands together. A ball of blue energy started to form together as Typhlosion's chakra filled the air.

"Hyper Voice!"

Typhlosion tossed her attack forward, ripping up the ground that was unfortunate to be below the ball of energy. Meanwhile, Toucannon opened her mouth wide, unleashing an ear piercing noise across the battlefield. The two attacks met with one another, but the ball of blue and black ripped through Hyper Voice and then connected with Toucannon's beak directly. Toucannon flew into the air and tried to shake off the damage.

"Steel Wing!" Logan called.

Toucannon shifted her body and then shot downwards. Her wings started to glow with white energy, turning hard as steel. She swooped downwards at Typhlosion, but Camille was ready.

"Return!"

Typhlosion's hands started to glow white, and she grabbed ahold of Toucannon's wings. Toucannon looked at Typhlosion in surprise before the Fire-type unleashed a white light from her body. The white light washed over Toucannon, sending her flying backwards. She landed in a heap, and the referee made his call.

"Toucannon is unable to battle. Typhlosion is the winner!"

"Couldn't even get in a hit," Logan muttered. He lifted his Premier Ball and returned Toucannon.

"As you should know, Return's power is based on the bond between trainer and Pokémon. Clearly, my bond with Typhlosion is strong, so you can stop judging me," Camille exclaimed.

Logan nodded. "You got it. I won't judge a book by its cover, but I'm going to ask that you do the same." He grabbed a Great Ball from his belt and smiled. "Emolga, it's on you!" A small black, white, and yellow Pokémon appeared from the ball. She used the flaps under her arms to slowly glide to the ground.

"You think that tiny thing is going to beat my Typhlosion?" Camille asked with a laugh.

Finn smiled. "That little thing has pulled Logan out of tough positions before."

"Earthquake!" Camille commanded.

"Into the air!" Logan instructed.

Emolga nodded and jumped into the air and caught the wind as Typhlosion smashed her legs into the ground, shaking the stadium.

"Going to have to try harder than that with a Flying-type," Logan said.

"In that case, we'll use Return!"

Typhlosion got on all fours and then started to run forward as white energy formed on her body. She jumped towards Emolga and reached out, but Logan was ready for it.

"Double Team!"

Before Typhlosion could latch onto Emolga, she suddenly disappeared. Multiple copies of the Electric-type materialized on the field, and Typhlosion appeared frazzled as she looked around.

"Focus, Typhlosion! Let's draw them out with Eruption! Tear this stage apart!"

Typhlosion grinned as her eyes started to glow red. She roared into the air, and the stage started to rumble.

"Astonish!"

Before Typhlosion could continue her attack, the real Emolga appeared before her. She jabbed out, quickling punching Typhlosion directly in the nose. The rumbling stopped, and Typhlosion looked wide eyed at Emolga.

"What just happened?" Camille wondered.

Instead of explaining anything, Logan made his next command. "Acrobatics!"

Emolga fell back to the ground and then jumped forward, smashing her body into Typhlosion. She quickly backed away and then jumped forward again. She repeated this motion a few more times at blindingly fast speed. Eventually, Camille gave her next command.

"Return!"

An irritated Typhlosion reached out and grabbed ahold of Emolga by the wings. She roared and unleashed the white flash of light from her body, sending Emolga into the air.

"We're not done yet! Eruption!"

The ground started to rumble once more, and Typhlosion roared as fire exploded in front of him and straight into the air.

"Double Team!"

As Emolga flipped backwards in the air, she quickly recovered. Before the blast of fire could connect, she disappeared, and multiple copies on the field appeared.

"Continue!" Camille said.

The Fire-type roared as she continued to have fire explode from the ground and into the air. Emolga clone after Emolga clone were completely wiped away, and it wouldn't be long until the real one as found.

"Go in with Acrobatics!"

The real Emolga darted forward, smashing her body as hard as she could into Typhlosion's midsection. The Fire-type Pokémon rolled back onto what was left of the stage in the wet grass. When she was finally back on her two feet, she wiped the water from her face.

"Thunder!" Logan yelled.

Emolga took in energy into her body and then unleashed it into the sky. The clouds rumbled, and the entire dome shook. From the sky, a bolt of lightning came crashing down onto Typhlosion, exploding on contact, making smoke fill the air.

"Typhlosion!" Camille screamed out.

When the smoke cleared, both Pokémon remained standing. Typhlosion took in multiple deep breaths as she scowled at the smaller Pokémon.

Camille started to laugh. "Sorry, Logan. It's over for you! Eruption!"

Typhlosion roared, but this time, the ground did not shake. Instead, she fell forward, landing flat on her stomach, and the crowd went silent.

The referee nodded and then raised his flag. "Typhlosion is unable to battle! Emolga is the winner, which means that Logan is the victor!"

Camille slowly fell to her knees while Logan jumped up and down. He ran onto the field and caught the tired Emolga in his arms. "You did great!"

"Typhlosion…" Camille muttered. "I'm sorry…" She lifted her Poké Ball and returned her Pokémon.

"In a battle that we're all sure to remember for years to come, Logan shows us that even little guys can pack a punch! Logan Stephenson moves onto the next round!" the announcer yelled while Logan and Camille walked to the back.

Logan looked at Camille who held her head down low. "It was a good match, Camille. You're really strong."

Camille sighed and then held her head up high. "Yeah I am! It was fun! Let's have a rematch someday!"

Logan grinned. "Of course! Sorry if I sounded angry with you before."

She shook her head. "You weren't wrong. I need to be accountable for my team. It was my fault that I lost today. I'll get better."

The two entered the backroom as the announcement for the next battle was being made.

"Our next match-up is sure to be interesting! We have two people from Unova competing! John Manson from Nimbasa City and Mao Li from Nuvema Town! Some of you may recognize Mao from her victory in the Vertress Conference two years ago, but she's looking to make a statement here now! Will we see a double champion this year?" the announcer yelled.

Mao stood up and winked at Logan. "I'll see you in the next round."

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" John's voice called. He stood up straight and grinned. "Looks like we'll be having our rematch tomorrow, Logan."

Logan nodded. "No matter who it is, I'm ready."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

So, Logan wins and knocks Camille out of the tournament. I'm not sure if she'll ever be returning in anything else I ever write, but we never know.

Next up is Mao vs. John. Excited to see what I can do with it! Since they're not main characters, I find that it may be hard to make dramatic for my readers, but I'm going to do my best to make it worth the read.

Until next time!


	61. Desperation Takes Hold! Mao vs John!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 61 - Desperation Takes Hold! Mao Li vs. John Manson!**

* * *

"Who do you think is winning this one?" Finn asked as Logan took a seat in the stands next to him.

Logan thought for a moment. "It depends. Mao is insanely strong, even when she's holding back. A while back, I was wiped out by John, and Yurie knows his power first hand. It's going to be a toss up."

"I'm excited to see what Pokémon Mao has!" Yurie exclaimed.

Logan grinned. "She had a lot of different Pokémon back in Unova."

"The following battle will be a six on six full battle between John Manson from Unova and Mao Li from Unova. We will take a small break when one side has lost three Pokémon. The first half of this battle will take place on the ice field!" the referee announced.

The ground started to rumble as the field revealed itself. It was similar to that of the rock field, but roughly half of the field was covered in ice.

"Begin!"

John, without missing a beat, tossed his first Poké Ball onto the field. His Crawdaunt appeared and raised his giant pinsirs into the air.

Mao smiled and then lifted her Poké Ball. She pushed the button, releasing her Pokémon onto the field. A large, plant-like Pokémon with a big mouth, long neck, and a rather heavy looking body appeared. It seemingly had no eyes.

"What is that?" Yurie questioned.

Logan shook his head. "That one is new to me."

"Crawdaunt, use Liquidation!" John ordered.

Crawdaunt lowered his pinsirs and then opened them up wide. Water started to bubble from them and eventually, a stream of powerful water shot across the stage.

"Cradily, use Stockpile," Mao instructed calmly.

The green Pokémon took in a breath and seemingly swallowed something. Her body slightly glowed white as the water attack crashed into her body, but nothing happened.

"Took my attack like it was nothing!" John yelled.

"Cradily, use Energy Ball."

The green Pokémon opened up her mouth wide, revealing a set of what looked to be purple teeth. A ball of green energy formed in front of her mouth, and she released it onto the field.

"Guard with Crunch!"

Before the attack could collide with Crawdaunt, he surrounded himself with dark energy that materialized into giant jaws in front of him. The jaws clamped down onto the Energy Ball, causing it to explode. Crawdaunt didn't come away unphased though, as he stumbled back from the attack.

"Crawdaunt, hit it with Blizzard!"

"Defensive Rock Tomb," Mao ordered.

As Crawdaunt opened up his pinsirs and unleashed an icy wind onto the stage, Cradily started to spin her body, tossing stones into the air. The stones fell around Cradily's body, circling her, and the Ice-type attack was completely blocked.

John glared. "If she's going to be like that, let's get in close! Use Crunch!"

"Crawdaunt!" the Pokémon cried out while running forward and creating the dark energy from before. He lifted his pinsirs into the air and crunched down onto the rocks, destroying them in the process.

"Blizzard!"

"Stockpile."

The two Pokémon did their attacks, and as the icy wind blasted over Cradily's body, she started to glow once more. When the attack finished, Cradily appeared to be slightly injured but still able to move.

"Got ya!" John yelled.

"Swallow."

Cradily began to glow brighter now, and her wounds from before seemingly faded away. She smiled at Crawdaunt, and the Water-type was taken aback.

"Energy Ball," she ordered calmly.

In the blink of an eye, Cradily formed the ball of green energy in front of her face once more. She unleashed the ball at close-range, sending Crawdaunt flying back. Crawdaunt crashed into one of the icicles that jutted from the stage and then collapsed.

"Crawdaunt is unable to battle! Cradily wins!" the referee declared.

Logan sat back. "Mao is a master of Pokémon battles, but she's even better at psychology," he said as he observed the differences in demeanor. "Mao is cool as ever, and I think this will start to get to John's head."

John returned his Pokémon and looked angrily out onto the field. "Okay. Let's see what Grass-type is better! Go, Roserade!"

His Pokémon appeared on the field and twirled a little bit. She looked out at her opponent and grinned cockily.

Mao slowly lifted her Poké Ball and returned Cradily. "I'm not interested in that battle," she said cooly. "I'm not here to entertain but rather to teach. I have students watching, after all." She pulled her next Poké Ball out and pushed the button. A large Pokémon crashed onto the field. It stood on all fours, had two large horns, and bushy fur that resembled an afro on his head.

"Yeah!" Logan cheered. "Bouffalant is my buddy!"

"Roserade, let's use Poison Jab!"

"Bouffalant, use Swords Dance."

Roserade dashed forward as the roses on her hands started to glow purple. She jabbed at Bouffalant, whose body started to glow after he pranced around on the field for a little bit. Bouffalant took the attack directly and fell back a little bit, but he was able to recover quickly.

"Keep up the pressure! Use Dazzling Gleam!"

A ball of light formed at Roserade's head, and she released it forward. The light washed over Bouffalant, and he yelled as the attack hit.

"Bouffalant, use Earthquake."

Bouffalant roared and then stood up on his two hindlegs. He then smashed this two front hooves into the stage, cracking the ice and shaking the entire stadium. Roserade stumbled back as she tried to get some footing.

"Roserade!" John yelled out. "Try your Leaf Storm!"

Roserade was able to recover and started to dance around as leaves fell from her body. She spun in a circle, whipping the leaves into the air in a flurry. She then shot them towards Bouffalant who screeched as the leaves scraped against his body.

"Megahorn," Mao said calmly.

The two horns on Bouffalant's head started to glow green before they extended to an even bigger size. He howled into the air before charging forward, shaking the stadium.

"Hit them with your strongest Poison Jab! Don't hold back!"

Roserade, already worn down from using multiple attacks, darted forward. She swung her hands at Bouffalant's horns, and the two connected. Both Pokémon were tossed back, but Bouffalant was able to stay in a standing position. Roserade fell onto her back and didn't get back up.

"Roserade is unable to battle! Bouffalant wins!" the referee declared.

John looked onto the field in shock. He returned Roserade and then contemplated his next move.

Everyone turned their attention to Bouffalant. One of his legs gave in, and he fell forward. A purple haze slowly emitted from his body.

"I guess Poison Jab did its job," John said. "Every little bit counts."

"John is two down, and Mao still has all six of her Pokémon. With a healing strategy like what she did with Cradily and a Pokémon as strong as Bouffalant, it's almost like she's taken no damage," Finn said. "I should sit in on a class someday."

"My next Pokémon will shock you! Eelektross, go!"

John's Eelektross appeared on the field and waddled around on her little feet. She struck a battle pose as soon as she saw the intimidating Bouffalant.

"Eelektross' ability will prevent me from effectively using Earthquake, so I have no advantage," Mao said. "But we have more secrets up our sleeve." She observed Bouffalant, who was breathing heavily because of the poison.

"Eelektross, use Dragon Pulse!" John commanded.

Eelektross let out her battle cry as she started to form a ball of blue arcane energy in front of her face. She unleashed the energy onto the icy ground, creating a shockwave throughout the field. The wave washed over Bouffalant who let out a roar.

"Swords Dance," Mao said calmly.

Bouffalant focused and then slowly started to tap his front hooves on the ground, making what sounded like a drum noise. His body started to slowly glow with white energy, and he roared once more.

"Flamethrower!" John ordered.

Eelektross waddled forward on her small flipper legs and then unleashed a stream of fire from her mouth. The stream raced across the field, melting some of the ice.

"Giga Impact," Mao instructed.

The top of Bouffalant's afro started to glow white, and he bounded forward, taking on the blast of fire head on. He continued through the fire as though it was nothing.

"I don't think so! Use Thunder Punch!"

Eelektross reeled her body back and began to charge electricity in one of her arms. She swung her fist outwards as Bouffalant came crashing forward, and there was a small explosion. Eelektross was quickly flung backwards, crashing into a wall, and Bouffalant remained still. He glared out at John as more of the poison seeped through his body. With that, Bouffalant collapsed to the ground.

The referee looked at the field and then made his call. "Both Bouffalant and Eelektross are unable to battle! John has lost three Pokémon, so we will now enter into a short fifteen minute intermission!"

John and Mao both returned their Pokémon. John sat back on a bench behind his trainer's box, and Mao went to the hallway and then the backroom. There, she found Luna sitting down and watching the replays on TV.

"You're doing great," Luna said. "You win this match and then you get to face Logan, ya know?"

Mao nodded. She watched the replay of her Bouffalant's Giga Impact. "I want to see how we've all grown. If Logan can't beat me, then maybe you can?"

Luna grinned. "I know I can."

Up in the stands, Yurie and Himawari left Finn and Logan alone while they went to the concession stands.

"Looks like Mao has this one in the bag," Finn exclaimed. "She's got quite the lead."

"Maybe," Logan said, some doubt in his voice. "We can't forget about John's Volcarona. It's one of the strongest Pokémon that can be found in Unova, and if he's able to raise something like that, then he's sure to have more surprises."

The fifteen intermission was finished quickly, and the two trainers returned to their positions as the field changed to a regular grass stage. Their faces reappeared on the screen, and they were prompted to make their choices.

"Bronzong, go!" John yelled while throwing his ball into the air. A large metal Pokémon that was bell-shape in appearance materialized above the field. It floated in the air while swaying slowly back and forth.

Mao pulled her next Poké Ball out and pushed the button, releasing a fat pink Pokémon with tentacles dangling from it. The Pokémon floated in the air and made kissy faces towards Bronzong who didn't react.

"Bronzong, use Psyshock!" John commanded.

Bronzgong's eyes started to glow as its voice echoed throughout the stadium. The field rumbled, and Jellicent soon felt energy wrap around her body. She let out a soft cry of pain as she was shocked with psychic energy.

"Water Spout."

Jellicent forced herself out of the attack and then sprayed water from her mouth. The spray was quick, and it blasted Bronzong backwards.

"Charge in!" John yelled. "Iron Head!"

Bronzong tilted its body forward and then blasted towards Jellicent. Their two massive bodies collided with one another, and Jellicent fell towards the ground.

"Now's our chance! Bulldoze!"

As though Bronzong had lost the energy to float, it suddenly fell towards the ground, shaking the stage upon its impact. A fissure was created, and Jellicent fell into it. She screeched as the earth squeezed her.

"Yes!" John yelled out.

"Shadow Ball."

From the crack in the ground, dozens of shadowy orbs appeared, smashing into Bronzong. The Psychic-type flew backwards and landed on the ground, but it was able to get floating again not too soon after.

"Recover."

"What?!"

Jellicent emerged from the fissure, and her body glowed bright with light. She smiled as her wounds were slowly healed, and soon, she was back to perfect health.

"No…" John muttered. He looked out at Bronzong who was injured from the previous attack and worn out from using moves.

"Water Pulse."

"Solar Beam!"

Jellicent cried out joyfully as she created a ball of aquatic energy in her tentacles. She flung it at the ground, and it exploded into a giant wave that covered the entirety of the stage. Meanwhile, Bronzong took in energy from the sun, and its body started to charge and glow. The waves washed over it, and Bronzong slowly floated towards the ground.

"What?" John yelled.

Mao smiled. "Confused."

"Do you best, Bronzong!" John yelled.

Bronzong opened its eyes wide and then shot into the air once more. It cried out as it unleashed a yellow beam of solar light across the field. The beam crashed into Jellicent, sending her backwards. When Bronzong finished its attack, it lost its ability to float and then collapsed to the ground.

Jellicent slowly floated back into the air. The damage that she took was massive, but she was still able to move.

"Shadow Ball!"

Jellicent spun her body in circles as she released the shadowy orbs from her tentacles. The orbs repeatedly smashed into Bronzong, and the Steel-type cried out as it fell over unconscious.

The referee raised his flag. "Bronzong is unable to battle! Jellicent is the winner!"

Logan looked up at the screen as another one of John's Pokémon was eliminated. It was now down to two Pokémon against five.

John sighed as he returned Bronzong. "You did great." He looked up at Mao. "This has probably been the most difficult battle of my life. But now is the turning point, Mao. My next two Pokémon are my strongest. They'll have no problem beating the rest of your team."

Mao smiled. "I welcome the challenge."

John quickly pulled his next Poké Ball from his belt and then tossed it onto the field. Volcarona appeared and the crowd awed.

"Volcarona is one of the strongest Pokémon that you'll ever meet!" John called. "Volcarona, start with Giga Drain!"

Volcarona blasted across the field and stopped in front of Jellicent. She released what looked like a powder from her wings. The powder attached to Jellicent, and the Water-type cried out as her energy was sapped away. Jellicent, with one last whimper, collapsed to the ground.

"Jellicent is unable to battle! Volcarona is the winner!"

Mao calmly returned her Pokémon and then pulled out her next Poké Ball. "Not bad. Go, Cradily!" Cradily re emerged onto the field, but she appeared as though she hadn't already been through a battle.

"Volcarona, Bug Buzz!"

"Cradily, use Stockpile."

Volcarona blasted forward once more and unleashed green energy from her wings as Cradily seemingly swallowed some energy. Volcarona's energy collided with the ground below Cradily and sent her into the air.

"Psychic!" John yelled.

While the two Pokémon were in the air, Volcarona focused. A thin purple veil of energy surrounded Cradily and then forced her back. She crashed into the ground hard, causing a small explosion. Slowly, she stood back up and looked at Volcarona.

"Your Stockpile isn't going to protect you this time," John said.

Mao smiled. "I've been waiting for you to get serious."

"Bug Buzz!"

"Rock Tomb!"

Volcarona flew forward once more as Cradily used her energy to lift stones from the earth. She tossed the stones into the air, and they circled around Volcarona. She looked frightened as they closed in on her, trapping her for now.

"Volcarona!" John yelled.

"Now, use Energy Ball."

John grimaced. "I don't think so! Overheat!"

Before Cradily could start her attack, the stones that surrounded Volcarona exploded into fire. The flames continued down the field, scorching the grass, and then they enveloped Cradily. The Grass-type paused for a moment before falling into a slump.

"Cradily is unable to battle! Volcarona is the winner!" the referee announced.

Mao grinned and returned her Pokémon. "Looks like we've got a battle on our hands."

"Two Pokémon in a row with Volcarona," Logan said. "I expected nothing less."

"Remember that they were weakened though," Finn exclaimed. "The next Pokémon will be Volcarona's true test."

"My next Pokémon is one of my closest allies. We won't lose," Mao said as she lifted her next Poké Ball. She calmly pushed the button, and her big, red, and round Darminatan appeared on the field. He smiled as he pounded his chest to intimidate the Volcarona. He closely examined the Pokémon that floated in the air in front of him.

"Darmanitan and Volcarona come from the same area in Unova. Your little Darmanitan looks like he wants to bow," John said.

"When we're finished, your Volcarona will be bowing."

"Bug Buzz!"

"Darmanitan, use Psychic."

Volcarona swooped low and charged forward once again, but once Darmanitan raised his arms and focused, the Bug-type was forced to stop. Darmanitan quickly lowered his arms, and Volcarona was forced to the ground.

"Use your own Psychic!" John yelled.

Volcarona let out a cry as she spun her body around, and using her own move, she was able to break free from the invisible binds that Darmanitan had placed on her. She flew back into the air a safe distance away.

"Overheat!" both of the trainers ordered in unison.

Both of the Pokémon blasted flames from their bodies. The flames connected in the middle of the field, scorching it entirely and leaving it barren. There was an explosion, and smoke filled the entire battlefield.

"Belly Drum," Mao's voice said calmly.

No one could see what was happening, but from the smoke, there was a loud pounding, almost sounding like the beat of a drum. When the smoke finally cleared by the force of the wind, a new form sat in Darmanitan's place.

"What in the world?" John wondered.

"This is my Darmanitan's Zen Mode. When he's like this, his special attack attributes are boosted through the roof. And because I used Belly Drum, you know what that means," Mao said. She had entered her teacher mode.

"His attack was also increased," John muttered. "It doesn't matter! We'll finish you! Volcarona, hit them with Bug Buzz!"

The moth Pokémon cried out as green energy exploded from her wings. She swooped down, shaking the entire stadium with her power.

"Psychic."

Darmanitan's eyes started to glow once more, and Volcarona was enveloped in his psychic energy. Without moving, he tossed the Bug-type towards the ground. She landed with a hard thud but shakingly got back up.

"Finish this with Superpower," Mao instructed.

Darmanitan's body started to shake, and he was soon covered in red energy. He blasted forward, smashing the entirety of his body into Volcarona. The Bug-type was shot towards John, and she fell on her back on the ground. Her wings curled and hid the rest of her body before she laid perfectly still.

"Volcarona is unable to battle! Darmanitan wins!"

Darmanitan slowly floated back to his original position. He stayed perfectly still, almost like a statue.

John returned Volcarona, and then he took a long and hard look at his Poké Ball. "We've fought really hard today." He looked up at the scoreboard. One more Pokémon left to Mao's three. "And we've been getting beaten pretty badly, but we're not going to lose. My next Pokémon is my strongest. And we don't lose!" With that, he put Volcarona's Poké Ball back on his belt and then drew out his next. He held it tightly and pointed at Mao. "We're not going to let you win! Go, Garchomp!"

A large Pokémon with angry eyes and fins on its back appeared on the field. It let out a cry that shook the entire dome. Many small kids that were in the crowd looked for comfort in their parents, burying their faces.

For the first time in the battle, Mao looked a bit worried. She started to nervously laugh. "The pseudo-legendary from Sinnoh. I did my research on you, John, and I've been looking forward to this."

"Well, we'll see how your Pokémon do! Garchomp, use Dragon Rush!" John commanded.

Blue arcane energy exploded from Garchomp's body, and he then dashed forward, ripping up the field under him.

"Darmanitan, use Psychic!"

Darmanitan's eyes started to glow, but the psychic energy that he released wasn't powerful enough to keep Garchomp back. The Dragon-type continued forward and crashed into Darmanitan, sending him backwards. Darmanitan crashed into the wall and slid down, falling to the ground.

The referee looked at Darmanitan but wasn't sure at what call to make. Mao closed her eyes and nodded, giving the referee confirmation. He raised his flag. "Darmanitan is unable to battle! Garchomp wins!"

Mao returned Darmanitan and then pulled out her next Poké Ball. "Meet my oldest friend! Go, Serperior!" The long, green, serpentine Pokémon appeared on the field and slithered around a little bit before getting into position. She glared daggers into Garchomp who just growled in return.

"We'll beat it with no problem," John said calmly. "Stone Edge!"

The field rumbled as Garchomp pulled stones from underneath him and into the air. Five long pillars made of rocks shot towards Serperior's side of the field. The five pillars surrounded the Grass-type and turned, pointing their tips at the Pokémon. Then, without a second's notice, they darted forward, exploding upon contact with one another.

"Got ya!" John yelled.

Mao smiled.

Suddenly, Serperior appeared behind Garchomp's back. Garchomp turned, but it was too late.

"Dragon Tail!" Mao yelled.

Serperior's tail started to glow blue, and she swung her entire body around, smashing her tail into Garchomp's midsection. Garchomp slid a few feet backwards, but was ultimately okay.

"Iron Tail!" John screeched.

"Use Aerial Ace!"

As Garchomp turned his body and swung his ironhard tail towards the Grass-type, Serperior shot forward with white energy exploding off of her face. The two attacks collided, and the force sent both Pokémon reeling back.

"Give it a Dragon Rush!"

"Wait for it…"

Garchomp bounded forward once more, and moments before he could make contact, Mao made her call.

"Use Giga Drain!"

Serperior went low and then shot forward. She wrapped her body around the attacking Garchomp, making him stop in place. She let out a soft hum as she released pores from her body. They attached to Garchomp's skin, and he screeched as some of his energy was sapped away.

"Garchomp!" John yelled. He looked troubled, but then made his next call. "I'm sorry, buddy! Use Stone Edge!"

The ground below Garchomp and Serperior shook, and five pillars rose from the ground. Serperior looked afraid as the stones pointed towards both Pokémon. And then, they struck exploding onto both of the Pokémon. When the smoke cleared, both Pokémon were separated from one another.

"Earthquake!"

Garchomp roared once more as he started to shake the field. A fissure was created, and Serperior fell into the cracks, letting out a scream.

"Finish this with Dragon Rush!"

Garchomp dashed forward once more and crashed his body into the Grass-type. Serperior was flung backwards, and she collapsed to the ground. Her body coiled, and she fell unconscious.

"Serperior is unable to battle! Garchomp is the winner!"

"We actually did it…" John muttered. He looked up. One more Pokémon each.

Mao returned her Pokémon and then looked onto the field. Garchomp was breathing heavily from the damage that he had taken from the Dragon Tail and Giga Drain. "This is over, John." She held her last Poké Ball in her hand and then pushed the button. Her three-headed dragon Pokémon, Hydreigon, appeared on the field. He roared, and Garchomp winced.

The two Dragon-type Pokémon glared at one another. It was now a battle between two goliaths of the Pokémon world. Wind blew calmly through the field, picking up some of the dirt and blowing it through the air. For a few seconds, it there was complete silence.

"Our closing bout for this battle is between Hydreigon and Garchomp!" the announcer yelled. "It's a fight between pseudo-legendaries of foreign lands! Can John continue his hot streak and make a come back, or will Mao teach him a brutal lesson in defeat?"

"We won't lose!" John yelled.

"Bring it!" Mao snapped back. Her entire demeanor had changed. "Dragon Pulse!"

Orbs of blue fire formed in front of Hyreigon's three faces. He then shot off the blasts towards Garchomp, exploding on contact and making an explosion.

"Dragon Rush!" John's voice called.

From the smoke, Garchomp emerged. He ran forward while the energy came off his body, and he rammed into Hydreigon, but before he could get away, the two heads on Hydreigon's sides bit down onto Garchomp's throat.

"Brutal Swing!" Mao ordered.

Hydreigon lifted Garchomp into the air and started to spin. After a few rotations, he released Garchomp, sending the Ground-type flying. Garchomp crashed into the ground, but slowly, he started to stand back up.

"You can do it!" John yelled.

"Focus Energy," Mao said calmly.

Hydreigon roared as energy surged throughout his body.

"C'mon, Garchomp!" John called as his Pokémon finally got to one knee. He started to push himself onto both legs, but his body shook violently.

"Finish this with Dragon Pulse!"

"Garchomp, use Dragon Rush!"

Hydreigon unleashed another blast of arcane energy onto the field; this time, it was much more powerful, destroying a lot of the field and revealing the metal from below. Before Garchomp could even start his attack, the blast connected, and he was enveloped completely. The attack soon faded, and the crowd was completely silent. Garchomp roared once more, and the arcane energy weakly emitted from his body. He then collapsed and fell forward.

The referee took in a deep breath and then raised his flag. "Garchomp is unable to battle! Hydreigon and Mao are the victors!"

The crowd cheered and clapped as John returned his Pokémon. Mao sighed and then raised her Poké Ball. Hydreigon was absorbed back into his Poké Ball, and Mao took a look at what remained of the field.

"That was absolutely nasty," Finn said. He turned to Logan. "You ready for her?"

Logan nodded. "I'm more than ready. Tomorrow is a rematch that I've been waiting two years for."

Yurie looked over the field. The sheer destructive power of the two Pokémon left her in silence. She slowly looked over to Logan, who had a wide grin on his face.

The next few matches flew by relatively quickly. Yuta and Luna both won their matches handily, and Finn was able to scrape by. They would all be advancing to the next round, but the battle everyone was looking forward to was Logan vs. Mao.

* * *

"Guys, tomorrow is a battle that I've been thinking about for a long time," Logan said as he sat with his Pokémon. "Tomorrow, we battle against Mao."

The Pokémon that Logan caught in Unova all looked at one another. Emboar cracked his knuckles.

Logan looked at Emboar. "I'm sure that you've had it on your mind for awhile too, Emboar." He pulled a piece of paper from his back pocket and laid it out in front of them. "This is the team I want to go with. I understand that some of you are disappointed that you won't be battling tomorrow, but I want to ask for your permission to let this team battle."

Some of Logan's original team appeared disappointed, but they nodded, giving Logan their approval.

"Great!" Logan exclaimed. "Now, let's get some dinner!"

* * *

The group all ate at a Unovan style diner that night. Logan and Finn enjoyed chili cheese dogs, while Himawari and Yurie, concerned about their weight, ordered salads.

"You won't get fat after one meal!" Logan exclaimed. "Live a little…"

The door to the diner opened, ringing the bell that was attached to the door. Everyone turned, noticing John Manson as he walked through the door. He smiled at them, and Logan waved him over.

"Great battle today, John!" Logan said. "Have a seat with us!"

John nodded and then sat down next to Logan. "Thanks."

"I was rooting for you today," Yurie said. "Your Garchomp was really strong! Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine. They're checking up on him right now," John said. "Tomorrow, it's you vs. Mao, Logan. Are you ready?"

"I'm not sure. I can't say, but I'm going to try my best!"

John looked through the menu. "You can do it. Don't hold back tomorrow."

"I won't!"

Finn finished chewing a bite of his hot dog. "And what about you, John?"

John's face was filled with sadness. "This was my last chance. I'm going to go back home now. I'll make an appeal to the league and see if they'll let me try out to be a gym leader."

"You're from Nimbasa City?" Logan asked.

John nodded.

"I'm sure that Elesa would love if you someone took over for her. She's got that modeling thing going on," Logan said with a smile. The other trainers had no idea what he was talking about.

John forced a smile. "Maybe."

Logan patted him on the back. "Don't worry, John. I believe in you."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Woof. I love writing battles, but I always get a little bit emotional when I have to write about the repercussions of the battle.

Next is Logan vs. Mao. It's going to be a bit lengthy, but I'm excited for it. *takes a deep breath*

Thanks to The Imprisoned of Hell for John Manson. Always fun to write for strong characters. I'll see if I can ever put him back into the story, but for now, this was it.


	62. Lessons! Enter the Top 16!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 62 - Lessons! Enter the Top 16! Logan Stephenson vs. Mao Li!**

* * *

**Two Years Ago - Vertress Conference Semifinals**

"Emboar, use Flamethrower!" Logan ordered.

The tired Fire-type Pokémon roared as he released flames onto the field towards Mao's Serperior.

"Giga Drain!" Mao yelled.

Serperior darted through the rocks on the battlefield and avoided the flames. She wrapped her body around the large Fire-type and began to suck away his energy with every squeeze. Emboar weakly whimpered as his face started to turn blue.

Logan struggled as he thought of his next move. "Flame Crash!"

Emboar used what strength he had, and he jumped into the air. Both of the Pokémon's bodies became engulfed in flames, and they started to fall back towards the earth.

"Get off of him!" Mao ordered.

Serperior followed the instructions and let go of Emboar. The Fire-type continued to fall at regular speed and crashed into the ground, causing an explosion. When the smoke faded, he still stood, but now he was covered in wounds.

"Falling Dragon Tail!" Mao's voice called.

"Arm Thrust!"

Serperior, almost unable to move, began to charge arcane energy in her tail. She shifted her body slightly and used the motion from her fall to continue downwards at Emboar. Emboar attempted to raised his arms, but he was too weak, and Serperior slammed her tail directly onto Emboar's head. The Fire-type stumbled backwards, and both Pokémon glared at one another. Emboar fell to one knee and then the other. He huffed and then collapsed completely.

"Emboar is unable to battle! Serperior is the winner! The victory goes to Mao Li!"

* * *

**Present Day**

_Not this time._

The second day of the full battles had begun. Luna and Finn both won their matches respectively, and they both moved onto the Top 8 where they would battle each other. But before that could happen, it was time for the battle that most people were patiently waiting for. Logan and Mao were called to the field, and the crowd went wild as they walked to their trainer's boxes. They looked out at one another. Mao was calm, and Logan appeared focused.

"A rematch from two years ago, folks! It's time for the former Vertress Conference champion, Mao Li, to take on her friend and ace trainer, Logan Stephenson! Has Logan improved enough over the past two years, or will Mao teach Logan another lesson in defeat!" the announcer exclaimed. The crowd cheered once more as the referee walked to her position.

"This will be a six on six full battle between Logan Stephenson from Unova and Mao Li from Unova. We will take an intermission when one side has lost three Pokémon. The first half of this battle will take place on the grass field!" the referee announced. The two trainers nodded and the grass terrain revealed itself. "Begin!"

Logan smiled as he pulled his Premier Belt from his belt. He playfully tossed it into the air and then caught it. "Let's do this! Manectric, you're up!" He threw the ball onto the field, and Manectric materialized.

Mao grinned. "Show me the power of your Hoenn Pokémon, Logan. Go, Beheeyem!"

A light brown Pokémon with glowing green eyes and multicolored fingers appeared on the field. It slowly floated to the ground and then raised its arms.

"I one time saw Beheeyem move an entire Legendary Pokémon with its psychic energy," Yurie said. "It's really strong."

Himawari leaned forward. "But Manectric has electricity running through his blood! He'll show Mao the power of Electric-types!"

"Manectric, start with Thunder!" Logan instructed.

"Beheeyem, use Psychic Terrain," Mao ordered.

As Manectric absorbed energy and then unleashed it onto the field, Beheeyem's eyes started to glow. He waved his arms out in front of his body, and the field was covered in purple energy that illuminated the dome. But this was no offensive attack, and Beheeyem was struck by the lightning. His movements stuttered, leaving Logan to attack once more.

"See how he likes close-ranged attacks! Thunder Fang!"

Manectric growled and gaped open his maw as it emitted electric energy. The Electric-type then bounded forward on the psychic energy covered terrain and howled.

"Psychic," Mao ordered.

Beheeyem's eyes started to glow once more, and he raised his arms. Manectric was lifted into the air and then tossed back by the invisible energy. He crashed into the ground hard, making the purple field vibrate.

"That was really strong," Logan muttered. _This field probably gives Beheeyem a boost in power right now. We have to play smart. _"Use Flamethrower!"

The Electric-type opened his mouth, blasting a stream of flames towards Beheeyem.

"Psychic."

Once more, Beheeyem lifted his arms, and his psychic energy wrapped around the flames, stopping them completely. He swung his arms around, and the fire was pulled into the air. With one swift motion, Beheeyem shot the flames back at Manectric.

"Dodge!" Logan ordered.

Manectric began to weave through the field, narrowly avoiding the fire as it chased after him.

"Lead the way! Thunder Fang!"

Manectric nodded, as he focused on avoiding the flames, he ran towards Beheeyem. Beheeyem continued to control the flames, creating a long streak of fire that chased after the Electric-type. Eventually, Manectric leapt into the air and bit down onto Beheeyem. The flames followed and engulfed both of the Pokémon. They both let out cries as the fire burned them, and when it dissipated, they both weakly backed away.

"Recover," Mao said calmly.

"What?!"

Beheeyem started to chant, and his fingers began to glow with their various colors. Soon, his body was filled with energy, and the burns created by the fire faded away completely. Manectric jumped back and waited for Logan's command.

"Wild Charge! Hit 'em hard!"

Manectric stamped his feet on the glowing field of psychic energy and then ran forward. His body exploded with electricity as he charged down the field.

"Psychic."

Once more, Beheeyem lifted Manectric off of the field, stopping his attack. He then quickly lowered his arms, pulling Manectric back towards the ground. The Electric-type crashing into the field, and when the smoke cleared, the referee made her call.

"Manectric is unable to battle! Beheeyem is the winner!"

"Darn," Logan said as he returned his Pokémon. He looked down at his Poké Balls and thought for a moment. He quickly made his decision and then threw a blue ball with what looked to be a green netting around it. A Bug-type Pokémon appeared on the field. It hunched over and glared at Beheeyem.

"Must be from Alola," Mao muttered. "Beheeyem, use Thunderbolt."

"Golisopod, First Impression!"

Before Beheeyem could charge his energy, Golisopod disappeared for a moment. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared in front of Beheeyem. He lifted one of his massive claws and slashed, knocking Beheeyem backwards. The Psychic-type crashed into the wall and then slumped to the ground as the crowd were stunned into silence.

"That speed…" Mao muttered. "Absolutely amazing…"

"Beheeyem is unable to battle! Golisopod is the winner!"

Mao turned and then withdrew her Pokémon. She looked at Golisopod closely. "I'm guessing by appearance that Golisopod is a Bug-type. I won't make anymore mistakes. Go, Gigalith!"

Mao's giant Pokémon appeared and then crashed onto the field. The psychic energy from before faded away, revealing the grassy terrain.

"Golisopod is a very strong Pokémon, and First Impression is one of his signature tactics," Logan said with a grin. "But we've got more tricks."

"Stone Edge,"

Gigaloth stomped his giant legs down, and five pillars of stone emerged from the ground. Using his energy, he flung the five stones across the field towards Golisopod.

"Dual Chop!" Logan ordered.

Golisopod watched nervously as the stone pillars approached him. When they were within distance he leapt into the air, and with two swift strikes, he destroyed two pillars. The other three circled him and then darted forward, but he was able to easily avoid it.

"Now, Liquidation!"

Golisopod landed back on the ground as the three pillars exploded onto each other. He then ran forward while water formed at his claws. He quickly swiped at Gigalith, getting a direct hit.

"Sandstorm," Mao called quietly.

Ignoring the hit, Gigalith took a step back, and then he roared. Wind blew throughout the stadium, carrying sand with it, and soon, the field was caught in its own personal storm. Golisopod took a few steps back and tried to wipe the sand from his eyes. He could no longer tell where Gigalith was.

"Hold onto your hats!" Finn yelled.

Himawari frowned. "None of us are wearing hats."

"Rock Polish!" Mao's voice yelled over the noise of the storm.

Through the sand, Golisopod could see a quick gleam, but before he could do anything, Mao made her next call.

"Stone Edge!"

Five pillars came crashing down from the air, completely blindsiding Golisopod. He cried out as they did their damage, but ultimately, he was okay. There was a small rumbling noise, and Golisopod looked up. Gigalith was approaching, shaking the field with every step.

"Throat Chop!" Logan ordered.

Using his extraordinary speed, Golisopod shot forward, smashing his strong claw into Gigalith's midsection.

"Liquidation!"

With one smooth motion, Golisopod span his entire body around. He chopped, his claws covered with aquatic energy, blasting Gigalith from sandstorm. Gigalith landed hard on the ground, and although he was shaking, he was able to stand.

Mao observed her Pokémon's condition and sighed. "Gigalith, I'm sorry. Explosion!" Mao ordered.

Gigalith began to charge energy in his body, and he suddenly started to glow white. For one second, it seemed as though time stopped. Gigalith exploded, sending a bright white light out of his body that overtook the field. Golisopod looked terrified of the explosion as it came his way. He turned to Logan, and then the white light overtook the battlefield, blinding everyone in the stadium. When it finally faded and everyone gained their vision back, they found Gigalith lying flat on the ground. On the other side of the field, it wasn't Golisopod that was unconscious, but the big-beaked Toucannon.

"What? How can it be?!" the announcer screamed.

"What happened?" Mao wondered, befuddled.

Logan sighed and lightly smacked himself on the forehead. He looked down at Golisopod's Nest Ball as it slightly jiggled. "Emergency Exit…"

"Have we been tricked?! What happened?!" the announcer's voice echoed as the crowd all mumbled to each other. "Let's go to the replay!"

On the screen, a slowed down version of Gigalith's Explosion showed. It revealed Golisopod turning to Logan, and then his body becoming observed in blue energy. He returned to his Nest Ball, and then Toucannon materialized on the field. Much to the Flying-type's surprise, she was engulfed by the white light of Gigalith's attack, instantly fainting.

Logan laughed nervously. "Poor Toucannon. That'd be Golisopod's ability. When things get a little out of hand for him, he's able to switch out with another one of my Pokémon in battle. It's kind of the price of having such a strong Pokémon. He can only do it once though."

Mao nodded. "You learn something new every day. Seems like quite the risk."

The referee, still shocked by what happened, finally raised her flags. "Gigalith and uh-Toucannon are both unable to battle!"

_Both left with one. What do we now?_ Logan wondered.

"I'm not pulling any punches, Logan," Mao exclaimed. She slowly pulled her next Poké Ball out and pushed the button. A giant grey Pokémon, much larger than either one of the trainers appeared. It stood silent as the sandstorm battered its body.

"Golurk," Logan muttered. _If possible, I want to save my other three Pokémon for the second round of this battle, but I hate throwing Golisopod to the wolves. He'll have the type advantage though._ Logan grabbed Golisopod's Poké Ball once more and then tossed it into the air. Golispod appeared, looked up at the screen and noticed that Toucannon had fainted. He nervously scratched the back of his head while laughing.

"Iron-" Mao started.

"First Impression!"

Once again, Golisopod shot across the field at incredible speed. He slashed at Golurk, making it take a step back, but the move was not nearly as effective as it was before.

_That was my last chance at that one._ Logan thought.

"Iron Defense!" Mao yelled, a little bit irritated with Logan's quick command.

Golurk began to glow, adding an additional shine to its body. It looked at Golisopod, who then took a couple of steps back out of fear.

"Focus Punch."

The giant golem lifted his right arm, and before Logan could make a command, it came crashing down in front of the Bug-type. Golisopod jumped back, just narrowly avoiding the attack.

"Earthquake."

The entire field started to shake, and Golisopod fell on his belly. He curled up and whimpered while he waited for Golurk's next move.

"Finish it with Focus Punch," Mao ordered calmly.

The giant Pokémon stomped, shaking the field with every step towards the Bug-type. It lifted its giant arm in preparation for one final devastating strike.

"Got ya! Liquidation!"

Golisopod grinned and then shot up into the air. He slashed towards Golurk's head, but with its free arm, Golurk grabbed ahold of the Bug-type. Golisopod squirmed and shrieked, but he was soon silenced by one quick jab. With a hard thud onto the sandy ground, Golisopod fainted.

"Golisopod is unable to battle! Golurk wins! Logan has now lost three Pokémon, so we will go into a fifteen minute intermission!" the referee declared.

Logan returned his Pokémon, and the two trainers walked to the dark hallway.

"Fun so far," Logan said with a smile. "Golurk is as strong as ever."

"You seem awfully happy for someone who is behind."

Logan laughed. "I have you figured out. I'm not worried. I won't make any mistakes in the next round."

The two opened the door to the backroom, and the replays were focusing a lot on Gigalith's explosion and Golisopod's exit. The people of Hoenn had never seen a technique like it before, so they were fascinated by it.

"I was hoping I'd get to battle more of your Alolan Pokémon, but it looks like Golisopod ruined that for Toucannon," Mao said quietly. "Kind of seems like a waste of a Pokémon. You're practically only fighting with a team of five."

Logan nodded. "That mistake will cost me." The two were quiet for a moment. "So, why did you really come here? It couldn't just be for a rematch."

Mao laughed. "Well, after I saw everyone battle together in Sootopolis, it got me fired up again. The Elite Four were amazing, and I want to have my chance to battle them. Who knows, maybe I'll become a member myself?"

"Someone from Unova as a Hoenn Elite Four member? Interesting."

The intermission was over in fifteen minutes, and the two were called back to the field. As they entered, the crowd cheered again. Mao looked up and noticed a section with her students. They held up banners with her name on it.

The stage had changed to a rock field. Although it had taken a lot of damage from yesterday's battles, they were able to clean it up for now.

"Begin!"

"Golurk, your back on!" Mao yelled. She pushed the button on her Poké Ball, and Golurk appeared. It looked calmly at Logan.

"Golurk is a big one, and I think the best way for us to respond is with our own big boy. Swampert, it's up to you!"

Swampert emerged on the field, and he waved his arms around as he though was dancing. The crowd laughed, and the Water-type blushed. When he finally laid his eyes on Golurk, he crouched down and prepared to fight.

"I know it's early in the tournament, but I can't hold anything back," Logan exclaimed. He lifted his right wrist, revealing his bracelet. After pushing on the bracelet, the small stone in the middle started to shine. The air in the stadium stopped moving, and the energy seemed to shift. He raised his hand into the air, and an orb of energy enveloped Swampert. Soon, the energy exploded, and Swampert's new form was revealed to the world.

"So, this is Mega Evolution?" Mao wondered. "Truly is beautiful."

"Swampert, rush in with Waterfall!"

Swampert raised his two giant arms and smacked them together. Aquatic energy seeped from his body and surround his hands. He held them low and then ran forwards.

"Phantom Force."

Behind Golurk, a giant purple portal appeared. Golurk backed up into it, and then the portal soon disappeared. Swampert stopped moving and looked perplexed. Suddenly, the portal reappeared above Swampert, and Golurk fell from the sky. Swampert forced his hands into the air, smashing into the golem, but Golurk's weight was too much. The two crashed, causing some dust to fill the air.

"Focus Punch."

"Hammer Arm!"

The two Pokémon separated only a few feet, and then they swung their massive arms at one another. They clashed but stood their ground. Swampert winced from the pain, but then pushed forward.

"Golurk, use Earthquake."

Golurk lifted one of its legs and stomped. The field began to shake, and Swampert stumbled back. Golurk took this opportunity and swung its fist once more.

"Protect!"

As if Swampert had already predicted Logan's instruction, he created a blue forcefield instantly. Golurk's attack bounced off the wall, and the Ghost-type stumbled.

"Waterfall!"

As the blue forcefield faded away, Swampert put his hands together again. With one swift movement, he uppercutted the giant. Golurk continued to stumble back, and by its body language, it appeared worried.

"Phantom Force."

"Don't let it!" Logan ordered.

Swamper reached out as Golurk formed a purple portal. He grabbed ahold of Golurk's arm to try to stop it, but instead, both Pokémon were pulled in. The portal closed, and for a moment, it was completely silent in the stadium. Once the portal opened above the middle of the field, both Pokémon fell. Swampert's arms were surrounded by the aquatic energy, and he was stabbing Golurk in the chest. They crashed into the earth, but it was only Swampert that stood back up.

"Golurk is unable to battle! Swampert wins!" the referee declared.

Mao returned Golurk as Swampert took a few steps back to his original position. Mao, without having to think, pulled her next Poké Ball and pushed the button. The crowd awed as her powerful Hydreigon blessed the stage.

"Swampert, we're in for a fight, but we've prepared for this! Don't be intimidated!"

"Swampert!"

"Hydreigon, we're going up against a mega evolved Swampert. This fight will be like nothing we've ever experienced."

"Hydrei…"

"Waterfall!"

"Wait for it."

Swampert repeated his motions from before and ran down the field at full speed.

"Grab him."

As Swampert tried to uppercut the Dragon-type, Hydreigon reached out. He clamped down onto Swampert's arms with two of his mouths and then separated the Water-type's hands.

"Brutal Swing."

Hydreigon started to slowly spin, lifting Swampert into the air. Soon, the two were spinning in circles, and eventually, Hydreigon let go of his vice grip. Swampert flew backwards, smashing into one of the rocks on the field."

"Finish him with Dragon Pulse."

Hydreigon flew into the air and then formed balls of arcane fire in all of his mouths. He unleashed the energy downwards, but Logan was ready.

"Ice Beam!"

Swampert emerged from the smoke and released a beam of blue ice from his mouth. The two attacks collided in the air, and then cancelled each other out, making a small explosion.

"Hammer Arm!" Logan yelled.

Swampert jumped into the air and raised both of his arms. With one quick motion, he knocked Hydreigon back towards the ground. The Dragon-type crashed into one of the multiple rocks, but he immediately re emerged safely.

"Got him!" Logan said.

"Roost."

Hydreigon closed his eyes and began to rest. The wounds created from the previous attacks faded away, and he was soon healthy again.

Logan sighed. "Nuts…"

"Dragon Pulse!"

"Ice Beam!"

The two repeated their long-ranged attacks from before, causing yet again another explosion.

"Waterfall!"

"Brutal Swing!"

Now both Pokémon jumped into the smoke. There were sounds of a scuffle, but it was Swampert that was thrown from the smoke. Hydreigon sank back to the ground. One of his heads was weakly dangling. Swampert had done some damage.

"We have to finish this soon!" Mao called. She had started to get louder. "Dragon Pulse!"

The Dragon-type unleashed his arcane energy onto the field once more. Swampert lifted his arms and created his blue forcefield without Logan having to give him the command. Eventually, the wall gave way, and Swampert was blasted backwards. Hydreigon, now out of breath, slowly hovered towards Swampert.

"Swampert!" Logan called.

His Pokémon slowly stood back up. He growled at Hydreigon, and the Dragon-type screeched. Before Logan could make his next command, Swampert fell on his face.

"Swampert is unable to battle! Hydreigon is the winner!"

Logan sighed and then lifted his Poké Ball. "You were great." He pulled his next Poké Ball from his belt. "And we'll finish this! Lycanroc, go!"

Logan's Lycanroc appeared on the field. He hunched over and glared daggers at Hydreigon. The two tried to intimidate one another simply through stares.

"Logan's Lycanroc is a Midnight Lycanroc. They have a love for battling, so this'll be fun," Finn explained.

Yurie looked up at the board. Only two Pokémon to three. "C'mon, Logan."

"Focus Energy," Mao ordered. She wasn't taking any more chances.

"If that's the case, then we should start," Logan said. Lycanroc nodded.

Logan revealed his left wrist, another bracelet with a diamond shaped crystal fastened to it. Lycanrock leaned forward, and the two struck an identical pose.

"What… are they doing?" Himawari asked. "Now's not the time for coordinated dancing, Logan!"

Logan and Lycanroc moved their arms together in synchronization.

Mao looked at Logan with an addlepated expression on her face. "Stop wasting my time! Dragon Pulse!"

Hydreigon stopped focusing his energy and then shot forward. He began to charge arcane balls of fire in front of his three mouths, but then the stage started to rumble, and he stopped moving.

Logan and Lycanroc both stopped dancing, and they raised their arms into the air. Stones, large and shap, began to emerge from the field, and soon, there were enough in the air to block out the sun.

"Go! Splintered Stormshards!"

Lycanroc leapt into the air and howled. All of the stones moved by themselves and pointed downwards. Then, they slowly moved back towards the earth, eventually picking up speed and raining down on the Dragon-type. Hydreigon attempted to release his attack, but the blue fire was smothered out by the stones, and the Dragon-type was buried completely.

The crowd stared in stunned silence by the attack, and the referee wasn't sure of what call to make. Mao finally did something and then ran out onto the field. She pulled up one of the stones off of Hydreigon's body, and his main head fell limp. Mao sighed as the referee made her call.

"Hydreigon is unable to battle! Lycanroc wins!"

Mao returned Hydreigon and then walked back to her trainers box. The field was now in absolute shatters between the power of the two attacks.

Finn sighed and then sat back in his seat. "Logan has already used his mega evolution and his Z-Move. He has no more big tricks up his sleeve, so the rest of the battle is going to be entirely down to the power of their Pokémon and the trainers' instructions."

"What's a Z-Move, and how do I get my Luxio to do one?" Himawari asked, his eyes still wide from the surprise of the last attack.

"Logan, you're so much stronger than you were two years ago, which doesn't surprise me. But I honestly wasn't expecting something like that," Mao said. She pulled out her next Poké Ball. "I won't hold back."

From her Poké Ball, Darmanitan appeared. He pounded his chest and then flexed his muscles as he looked out onto the field. He looked taken aback by the rubble.

"Lycanroc, use Thunder Fang!"

Lycanroc's red fur blew in the air as he howled and electricity started to emit from his fangs. He ran forward, and the energy continued to grow.

"Meet him halfway! Use Superpower!"

Darmanitan started to glow red, and he held his arms close to his chest. He shot forward, and the two Pokémon collided. Lycanroc winced, but then he bit down onto Darmanitan's shoulder. The Fire-type started to swing his body, and he was soon able to get Lycanroc off of him. Lycanroc fell to one knee, but his attack was not for nothing, as sparks emitted from Darmanitan's body.

"Paralyzed!" Mao exclaimed.

"Stone Edge!"

Lycanroc focused his energy, and the bigger stones from the pile lifted into the air. They quickly surrounded Darmanitan, and the Fire-type began to look concerned.

"Protect!" Mao yelled as the stones shot downwards.

Darmanitan lifted his arms into the air, creating a blue forcefield. The stones crashed against the forcefield and exploded, cracking the blue wall slightly.

"One more!" Logan ordered.

Lycanroc howled, and the stones started to move again. They circled around Darmanitan, but he kept his arms up. One by one, the stones came down onto the wall, cracking it more and more with every blow. Soon there was only one stone left. Before it came crashing down, sparks exploded off of Darmanitan's body. He screeched, lowered his arms, and then the stone jabbed into him. Darmanitan yelped as he rolled backwards. His body began to glow, and he was soon in his other form, still as a statue.

"That means that we're halfway there!" Logan exclaimed. "Crunch!"

Dark energy formed in front of Lycanroc's maw, and he jumped forward, but Mao was quick.

"Psychic!" she yelled.

Darmanitan focused his energy, and his eyes started to glow. Lycanroc was stopped midair and then forced to the ground. The rocks that he landed on exploded upon contact, hiding him within the dust.

Logan closed his eyes. _Lycanroc, I know that you can do this._ "Reversal!"

The smoke around Lycanroc's body whipped up into a small tornado, and he bounded forward, crashing his body into his statued opponent. Darmanitan rolled backwards, but was able to recover quickly.

"Overheat!"

Darmanitan's body started to glow red, and a stream of fire encircled his body. It then shot the stream forward, connecting directly with Lycanroc, tossing the Rock-type into the air. Lycanroc landed hard on the ground, and his arms went limp.

"Lycanroc is unable to battle! Darmanitan wins!" the referee declared.

The crowd cheered as the screen display changed. Logan was left with one more Pokémon while Mao still had Darmanitan and one more.

Logan returned Lycanroc and then closed his eyes. He took in one deep breath and then pulled his final Poké Ball from his belt.

_We won't make any mistakes this time. Not this time. Not this time._

"Emboar, let's go!"

Emboar roared as he materialized onto the field. He raised his arms into the air and flexed his muscles. Once he noticed Darmanitan, he struck his fighting pose.

"Darmanitan is weakened! Finish this with Wild Charge!"

"Psychic!"

Emboar ran forward, shaking the field with every gigantic step. Eventually, he picked up speed, and electric energy emitted from his body. Meanwhile, Darmanitan's eyes began to glow, and psychic energy surrounded Emboar's body, but it wasn't enough to hold him back. Logan's Pokémon crashed into Darmanitan, causing a gigantic explosion of rocks and dust. Darmanitan slowly rolled out of the smoke but not into his usual upright position.

"Darmanitan is unable to battle! Emboar wins!"

"One attack is all it took!" Himawari exclaimed.

"Yeah, but Darmanitan was weakened badly by Lycanroc, and unfortunately, Wild Charge does damage to the user too," Finn explained.

Mao returned Darmanitan, and without a word, she released her next Pokémon. Serperior appeared onto the field, and she slithered about, entering the pile of rocks and then climbing to the top of the mountain. She looked down at Emboar and sneered.

"Just like two years ago, Logan," Mao said. "And just like two years ago, I'll be the winner."

"It was that battle two years go that taught me the hard lesson that Pokémon battles aren't always about type-advantages. I've owned up to my shortcomings as a trainer since then, and I won't lose this time," Logan said. "Bring it, Mao."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

So, I'm ending this chapter right here. Suspense and all that.

Next chapter will feature the ending to this battle, and then I think I'll write Yuta's Top 16 battle.

I started a forum about Healing in Hoenn. It's my first one, so I have no idea what I'm doing. However, feel free to get involved in some sort of conversation. You can find the link on my profile. I asked a couple of questions that I'd love your input on.


	63. Top 8 in Place!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 63 - Top 8 in Place! Logan vs. Mao: Part 2!**

* * *

As Logan and Mao looked out at one another, creating strategies in their minds, the crowd slowly got louder. Impatience was setting in, and even the announcer appeared confused.

"Trainers? We're waiting," the announcer's voice echoed.

Mao snapped her fingers. "Use Aerial Ace!"

Serperior shot forward into the air, white energy exploding off of her body, but Logan was prepared.

"Flamethrower!"

Emboar tilted his head backwards before opening his mouth and unleashing flames onto the field. Serperior dove into the flames directly but continued without flinching. She emerged from the flames and smashed her head into Emboar. The Fire-type stumbled backwards, but he knew Logan's next command and was ready.

"Hammer Arm!"

Emboar's arm started to glow with white energy, and he swung his massive fist, landing a direct blow into Serperior's upper half.

"Giga Drain!"

As Serperior started to fly backwards, she curled her tail, wrapping it around Emboar's arm. Within seconds, she wrapped the entirety of her body around the Fire-type and began to suck energy. Emboar cried out from the pain.

"Head Smash!"

Emboar nodded, and with his free hand, he grabbed ahold of Serperior's throat. He forced the serpentine's head in front of him, and then with one swift motion, he headbutted the grass-type as hard as he could. Serperior loosened her grip, and then Emboar tossed her forward. She landed hard on the ground, but slowly got back up. Emboar staggered a bit, and he put his hand to his forehead.

"Wild Charge, Hammer Arm, and Head Smash: all moves that come with really big consequences," Finn mumbled. "Logan may not be thinking this out as well as we want him too."

"Serperior, use Leaf Storm!"

Serperior started to move her body in circles, forming energy that took the form of multiple leaves. She then shot the flurry of leaves towards Emboar, soon engulfing the Fire-type entirely. Emboar shrieked loudly as the energy dug into his skin.

"Flamethrower!"

Emboar withstood some of the damage and then looked down. He sent flames towards the ground, setting the leaves on fire. Soon, he was covered in a flame tornado, and when it finally faded away, he stood still, glaring at Serperior.

"Dragon Tail!"

Serperior was quick. She slithered across the field and through the rocks, and when she emerged, she twisted her body, swinging her large tail at Emboar.

"Grab it!" Logan ordered.

Emboar stuck his hands out and grabbed the arcane energy engulfed tail. He yelped as the energy burned his palms.

"Wild Charge! Take her with you!"

"Emboar!" the Pokémon roared as he swung Serperior above his head. He started to run across the battlefield, and his body was soon exploding with electricity. He swung Serperior at the ground and dragged her along the field as he charged around haphazardly. Once the two reached the pile of stones from before, he heaved one last time, tossing Serperior into it. Serperior disappeared into the pile with an explosion, and Emboar remained standing, but he was breathing heavily.

"Interesting," Himawari said. "But effective."

"Is it over?" Yurie wondered.

Finn shook his head. "Not yet."

"Aerial Ace!"

The pile of stones exploded, and Serperior emerged. She tackled directly into Emboar's stomach, knocking him back. Both Pokémon fell together and landed on top of one another. They quickly realized this, and Emboar pushed Serperior off of him. They both slowly got back up, never taking their eyes off of one another.

"Emboar, use Flamethrower!" Logan ordered.

The tired Fire-type Pokémon roared as he released flames onto the field towards Mao's Serperior.

"Giga Drain!" Mao yelled.

Serperior darted through the rocks on the battlefield and avoided the flames. She wrapped her body around the large Fire-type and began to suck away his energy with every squeeze. Emboar weakly whimpered as his face started to turn blue.

_Not this time._

"Flamethrower once more!"

Emboar struggled as he looked towards the ground. He released his flames once more, engulfing both of the Pokémon in a bright red fire. Serperior screeched out as the flames scorched her body, and she slowly released her grip.

"Head Smash!"

Emboar, with both of his arms, grabbed ahold of Serperior. He held out his old friend in his hands in front of him, and the two looked at one another, breathing heavily. Emboar tilted his head back, paused, and then rammed it into Serperior once more. Serperior's body went limp, and Emboar let go. Her body fell to the ground into a small pile before Emboar roared once more, releasing flames into the air as the crowd cheered.

The referee raised her flag. "Serperior is unable to battle! Emboar and Logan are the victors!"

Mao's face faded away from the screen, and Logan and his team were displayed. Emboar fell to one knee and then slowly pet Serperior on her head while both of the trainers entered the field.

"We did it!" Logan yelled out. He gave his Pokémon a hug from behind. "I'm so proud of you, Emboar!"

Mao helped her Serperior up slightly and gave her a hug. "Serperior, you're wonderful. To go toe to toe with someone like Logan isn't easy, but you did it without hesitation."

"Thanks for the battle, Serperior," Logan said.

Serperior nodded with a gentle smile before the red light from Mao's Poké Ball overtook her body.

"And thank you, Mao. I've had this battle on my mind for a really long time, and I'm very glad that we could finally do this again."

"Me too, Logan. I hope that you keep riding this wave of momentum. You'll definitely win this year."

The two returned to the back while the next match was announced: Yuta Kato vs. Asper Smithon.

Asper Smithon was fifteen years old, but with the way he was built, he looked like a young adult. His dirty blonde hair was neatly combed, and he wore nothing but different shades of blue athletic wear.

"The following match will be a six on six full battle between Asper Smithon from Unova and Kato Yuta from Littleroot Town! It will be decided when one side has lost all six of their Pokémon. We will take a short intermission when one side has lost three. The first half will take place on the water field! Begin!" the referee declared while holding up his flags.

Asper revealed his Poké Ball and then tossed it into the air. A large Pokémon with a beard and a golden horn appeared on the field. It stood up on its two back legs and pulled out a sword it had sheathed.

Yuta grinned. "Shedinja, go!" An unmoving Bug-Pokémon materialized in the air. It floated calmly without moving a single muscle.

"Never seen that one before," Asper commented. "Samurott, start with Swords Dance!"

Yuta remained quiet while Asper's Pokémon lifted his swords into the air. He waved them around, and they began to glow with energy. When they were fully charged, he held them low and prepared for his next command.

"Razor Shell!"

Samurott howled. He jumped into one of the pools of water, and using extreme speed, he raced down the field. Once he reached Shedinja, he jumped out of the pool and swiped quickly. His sword bounced off an invisible wall that surrounded Shedinja. The Water-type retreated and looked confused.

"Okay, let's try Hydro Pump!" Asper ordered.

Samurott put his swords back in their sheaths and then unleashed a blast of pressurized water from his mouth. Once more, the water connected with an invisible barrier, making the attack completely useless.

"What is going on?" Asper wondered.

"Seriously, what's going on?" Himawari exclaimed. "He's not using Protect."

"And that's not Light Screen either," Finn mumbled.

"What is it?" Logan asked. "Finn, this is the kind of technique you'd use."

"Shedinja, use Phantom Force."

Shedinja finally moved slightly, entering into a purple portal, and disappearing from the field.

"Watch out, Samurott! It can come from any-"

Before Asper could finish his sentence, Shedinja reappeared from a portal. It rammed his body into Samurott, sending the Water-type backwards.

"Use Double Team!"

Yuta smiled. "Aerial Ace."

As Samurott multiplied around the field, a burst of white energy exploded from the top of Shedinja's head. It turned its body and shot towards one of the clones. Before Asper could make his next command, Shedinja attacked, sending him flying backwards.

"Phantom Force."

Samurott swung his sword, but Shedinja quickly disappeared into the portal again. He reappeared before Asper could give an order, ramming his body into Samurott's back. Samurott let out a cry of pain before he slumped to the ground.

"Samurott is unable to battle! Shedinja is the winner!" the referee declared.

Asper returned Samurott. "I couldn't even get in a single hit. What gives?" He threw his next Poké Ball into the air, and a large blue Pokémon with what appeared to be a heavy black shell appeared on the field. "My Carracosta will show you what's what!"

Logan smiled. "I love seeing all of these Unova Pokémon!"

"Carracosta, start with Iron Defense!"

Carracosta raised his arms as his body started to glow. His shell appeared more solid and polished than before, and he grinned at the soulless Shedinja.

"Aerial Ace," Yuta ordered.

Shedinja darted forward while energy came from the top of his head.

"Aqua Tail!"

Carracosta jumped into the air and swung his body around. His tail became engulfed with aquatic energy, but all it did was bounce off of Shedinja. The Bug-type continued, crashing into Carracosta.

"Do Water-type moves just not work?!" Asper yelled. "We'll try something else then! Earthquake!"

Carracosta stomped on the ground, shaking the entire stadium, but Shedinja appeared completely unbothered. It continued to float calmly in the air.

"This is driving me crazy!" Asper screamed. "Hit it with Stone Edge!"

Carracosta cried out as he pulled pointed stones from the field. He used his energy to toss all of the stones towards Shedinja.

"Double Team!" Yuta yelled.

Before the stones could connect, Shedinja began to multiply. It circled around the field, making Carracosta nervous.

"So, Water-type moves didn't work. Ground-type moves didn't work, but Yuta looked frightened by that Stone Edge," Logan noted.

"Shedinja seems like a weird Pokémon," Yurie said. "Maybe it has an ability that only allows it to be damaged by moves that would be super-effective?"

"Earthquake!" Asper ordered.

Carracosta repeated the action from before, shaking the entire stage and the Shedinja clones, but none of them were damaged.

"Aerial Ace," Yuta ordered.

The real Shedinja appeared from the pack, and it floated forward with its head glowing.

"Stone Edge!" Asper yelled.

Carracosta turned, but only had enough time to lift one of the stones from the ground. It was more than enough though, blocking Shedinja's attack and making it fall to the ground.

"What?" Asper wondered as he saw the Bug-type collapse. "What just happened?"

The referee appeared perplexed. He looked at Yuta who just nodded. "Uh. Shedinja is unable to battle! Carracosta wins!"

Yuta returned his Pokémon and then smiled. "Shedinja is a rare Pokémon with a one of a kind ability: Wonder Guard. It can only be damaged by specific attacks, but the downside is that it can only take one. Other than that, it's completely safe."

Asper gritted his teeth. "I don't like tricks!"

Yuta pulled out his next Poké Ball. "That's fair. No more tricks, but I'm going to make a promise instead. No more of my Pokémon will faint in this battle."

"That's some confidence you have."

"Gorebyss, go!"

From the light of Yuta's Poké Ball appeared a thin pink Pokémon. It fell into one of the pools and then poked its head out, getting a good look at Carracosta.

"Carracosta, use Earthquake!"

"Swagger."

Before Carracosta could start his attack, Gorebyss jumped from the pool. Her body glowed red and steam came off of her. The steam shot from her body and wrapped around Carracosta. Soon, his body started to glow red, and he flexed his muscles. He went to stomp on the ground but stumbled slightly, stepping on his other foot.

"What?!" Asper screamed.

Carracosta howled as he grabbed ahold of his injured foot and hopped around.

"Now use Hydro Pump."

Gorebyss appeared from another one of the small pools and released a powerful jet of water out of her mouth. The water collided with Carracosta, sending him into the air. He crashed to the ground, causing rocks to fly into the air. When the rocks all fell back to the ground, the referee made his call.

"Carracosta is unable to battle! Gorebyss is the winner!"

Asper huffed before he returned his Pokémon. "I can't believe this." Another one of Asper's Pokémon was blacked out on the screen, and he grabbed his next Poké Ball. A large blue Pokémon with wavy tentacles appeared on the field. The foam on his face appeared to form a fancy mustache, and he smiled at Gorebyss.

"That looks a lot like Mao's Pokémon," Yurie noted.

Logan nodded. "The gender of Jellicent determines its color. That'd be a male Jellicent."

"Jellicent, start with Wring Out!" Asper ordered.

The Pokémon slowly floated forward while holding out his tentacles.

"Ice Beam," Yuta ordered.

Gorebyss jumped out of the water and unleashed a beam of ice from the front her snout. Jellicent easily dodged the move though and then grabbed ahold of Gorebyss from the air. He squeezed onto her body and then stretched it slightly before twisting the pink Pokémon. Gorebyss let out a loud shriek.

"Psychic!" Yuta yelled.

Gorebyss stopped shrieking and then focused. Her body became surrounded by purple energy, and Jellicent loosened his grip. He stumbled back a little bit, dropping Gorebyss into one of the pools.

"Now, Hydro Pump!"

Gorebyss emerged from the water and blasted a flow of water from her pointed mouth. The connected with Jellicent, making him fly backwards. He landed on the ground and slumped down slightly.

"I don't think so! Use Recover!"

Jellicent's body began to glow with light, and soon, he perked up, standing up straight on his tentacles once more. He appeared refreshed from the two strong attacks.

"With a move like recover, we're going to have to play smarter," Yuta noted.

"Water Spout!" Asper yelled.

"Fight back with Hydro Pump!"

The two Pokémon unleashed powerful water attacks, but it was Water Spout that broke through. Gorebyss was launched backwards, landing into one of the pools. She quickly disappeared though.

"We'll find you! And I'll show you the power of my water Pokémon!" Asper screamed. "Psychic!"

Jellicent focused his energy, and his eyes turned purple. The entire battlefield started to shake, and the pools of water lifted into the air. Soon, a few giant bodies of water were airborne, and Gorebyss was revealed.

"Wring Out!"

Yuta smiled. "Come at us."

Jellicent shot forward and dove into the water. That's when Yuta made his next command.

"Ice Beam!"

Gorebyss darted around, easily avoiding Jellicent's grip. She jumped from her pool of water, turned her body around, and released a beam of ice from her snout. The ice froze the pool with Jellicent in it, and his attack stopped. She dove into another pool of water as they all fell back to the earth. The frozen pool exploded upon connecting with the ground, sending Jellicent into the air.

"Finish this with Hydro Pump!" Yuta commanded.

She stuck her mouth out of the water and blasted Jellicent even further into the air. When he crashed down onto the ground, all of his tentacles went limp, and he flattened his body.

"Jellicent is unable to battle! Gorebyss wins!" the referee declared. "Asper has lost three of his Pokémon, so we will now move onto a fifteen minute recess!"

The crowd all mumbled to each other as they walked to the bathrooms and concession stands. They had never seen someone battle like Yuta. Meanwhile, Yuta took a seat behind his trainer's box while Asper returned to the backroom for awhile.

"Any predictions for round two?" Logan asked.

Finn thought on it for a moment. "Well, Asper has so far only used Water-type Pokémon, and if I remember correctly, Yuta has a really strong Sceptile. I kind of think that he'd use Sceptile to pick up the victory."

Yurie shook her head. "Finding the easy way out isn't necessarily Yuta's style. I think he's testing himself right now."

The fifteen minutes were quick to go by, and the crowd soon packed back into their seats so they wouldn't miss anything. The two trainers returned to their positions as the screen displayed quick replays of the first half and the field changed to an ice terrain. When the time came, the referee raised his flags to start the battle.

"Go, Swampert!" Asper yelled while he threw his Poké Ball onto the field. A Swampert, larger in size to Logan's appeared. It roared before flexing its muscles and then looking down the field.

Yuta calmly lifted his next Poké Ball. "My next Pokémon will be the last one of mine that you see today. I have faith that I won't need anymore." With that, he released his Pokémon, the Steel-type, Metagross.

Asper gritted his teeth. "I'm going to wipe that cocky look from your face! Swampert, start with Hydro Cannon!"

As Swampert started to charge his energy, Yuta lifted his arm into the air, showing off his bracelet. He pushed on the stone that was placed in the middle, making it glow. The energy in the stadium suddenly shifted, and Metagross was surrounded by a ball of light. The ball exploded, revealing Metagross' new form, calmly floating above the field.

At this point, Swampert had finished preparing his attack, unleashing a blast of water onto the field. It connected directly with Metagross, making it float back a little bit, but when the attack stopped, Metagross just glared.

"It just absorbed my strongest attack like it was nothing…" Asper muttered.

"Meteor Mash!" Yuta ordered.

Metagross quickly floated forward while one of his claws started to glow white. He raised his claw and swiped down, getting a direct hit on Swampert. The Water-type stumbled back a little bit, but he soon regained his composure.

"Hammer Arm!" Asper commanded.

Swampert's arm started to glow, and he swung it wide.

"Dodge!"

Before Swampert could connect, Metagross flung itself into the air, easily avoiding the strike.

"One more Meteor Mash!"

Now coming from the air, Metagross swiped his claws downwards, striking Swampert once again. Swampert jumped back a few feet, clearly worn down by the seemingly unmovable Metagross.

"Okay, Swampert! Let's try Take Down!"

The Pokémon huffed as he started to move forward on all fours.

Yuta smiled. "Stop him with Earthquake."

Metagross twisted his body and then launched his claws into the ground, shaking the entire stadium and cracking the ice on the field. Swampert stumbled and fell over onto his back. Once the shaking stopped, he slowly stood back up, his legs shaking violently.

Asper looked up to the screen. So far, Yuta still had five of his Pokémon remaining. Asper's chances were slowly whittling away.

"We won't give up! Hit him with Giga Impact!"

"In that case, we'll also use Giga Impact."

The two Pokémon charged forward while white energy exploded from their bodies. Soon, they collided, causing an explosion of energy to fill the area with smoke. When it faded, only Metagross remained standing.

"Swampert is unable to battle! Metagross wins!"

As yet another one of Asper's Pokémon was blacked out on the screen, he returned his Swampert. "We can't hold anything back. If I want to beat you, then we have to fight with everything we have. Ludicolo, it's up to you!"

His Ludicolo appeared on the field and bounced around to the rhythm of his own soul. He waved around his arms and chanted his name before focusing on Metagross and smiling wide.

"Seems like Ludicolo is more interested in dancing than battling," Yuta noted.

"Don't you worry about us!" Asper exclaimed.

"We won't. Use Zen Headbutt!" Yuta ordered.

Metagross flew forward while psychic energy emitted from his face.

"We don't think so! Energy Ball!"

Ludicolo waved his arms around before unleashing a ball of kinetic energy towards Metagross, but the Steel-type was not phased. He continued forward, blasting through the ball and destroying it completely.

"Fire Punch!"

Ludicolo jumped backwards to give himself some more time, and he swung his fist forward, covering it with flames. The two Pokémon clashed, and for a moment, they were equal in strength, but then Metagross powered through, sending Ludicolo reeling backwards.

"Don't stop! Water Pulse!" Asper yelled.

Ludicolo quickly recovered and formed a ball of aquatic energy in his palms. He flung the energy towards the ground, and it exploded, turning into a wave.

"Earthquake!" Yuta commanded.

Metagross punched the ground with one of its massive claws, shaking the stadium. The waves started to waver, and soon, they were split down the middle, completely missing Metagross.

"Meteor Mash!"

Metagross bounded forward once more and swung his claw, decking Ludicolo in his beak. Ludicolo held at his face and screeched out before angrily glaring.

"Thunder Punch!"

Ludicolo leapt into the air as his fist became electrified. He swung downwards in a hammering fashion, bashing his fist against the top of Metagross' head. The Steel-type flew back slightly, and for the first time in the battle, it appeared bothered.

"Fire Punch, Thunder Punch combo!"

Ludicolo shook his body and held out his hands. In his left hand, fire formed, while the right sparked with electricity. He ran forward and started swinging his fists rapidly, punching Metagross multiple times.

"Make him back off with Earthquake!"

Metagross, in the midst of getting pummeled, lifted one of its massive claws before shoving it into the crowd. The field shook, and Ludicolo lost his balance, stumbling back a little bit.

"Zen Headbutt!"

Before Ludicolo could recover, Metagross flew forward, crashing its body into Ludicolo. The Water-type fell over, and the energy on his hands faded away as his body went limp.

"Ludicolo is unable to battle!" the referee's voice boomed throughout the stadium. "Metagross wins!"

The crowd was almost silent at this point. Whether they were stunned into silence or they felt bad for Asper was unclear, but the fact of the matter was, they were silent.

Asper withdrew Ludicolo and sighed. He drew out his last Poké Ball and closed his eyes. With that, he released his Pokémon, a rather large white bird with dark purple feathers running up her crest.

"Swanna," Logan mumbled. "But it looks like it may be a slightly different color than your regular Swanna."

"A shiny?" Yurie wondered.

"Swanna is the jewel of my team, and I have enough confidence in her. We'll win this battle, and then move onto the next round! We won't lose!" Asper yelled.

Yuta nodded. "Alright. Let's do this."

"Swanna, use Rain Dance!"

Swanna cawed as she opened up her mouth and released a ball of mist into the air. The mist exploded, and it started to rain on the field.

"Earthquake is useless against Swanna, but I'm sure our other moves will be more than enough. Use Meteor Mash!"

As the sky rumbled, Metagross flew forward. It raised its massive arm into the air and prepared to swipe downwards.

"Ice Beam!"

Swanna leapt into the sky and unleashed a beam of ice from her mouth. The ice connected directly with Metagross' arm, freezing it completely. He swiped downwards at the ground in an attempt to break the ice.

"Hurricane!" Asper's voice called.

Swanna's eyes began to glow, and she flapped her wings, creating a massive surge of wind to flow through the stadium. The wind picked up and blasted Metagross, sending it backwards. He crashed into one of the stones of ice and slowly floated back up.

"He's weakened! Use Brine!"

Swanna called out before unleashing a blast of water from her mouth. The mouth collided with Metagross, pushing him even more into the ground. His movements were now jittery as he returned to the air.

"As long as we remain far away, you can't do anything," Asper said. "One more Hurricane! Finish it!"

"Zen Headbutt!"

As Swanna whipped up the wind storm, Metagross' body surged with energy. It blasted forward as psychic energy exploded off of its body. The Steel-type, to everyone's surprise, powered through the wind, and he crashed into Swanna. The Flying-type cried out as she fell back towards the ground.

"Don't give up!" Asper yelled.

"Don't let it go. Use Meteor Mash!"

The two Pokémon struggled as they both fell from the sky. Rain pelted them hard, and Metagross lifted one of its okay claws. He swung down hard, knocking Swanna into the ground.

"Hurricane!"

"Giga Impact!"

Before Swanna could recover, Metagross reeled back and then lunged forward. The white energy caused an explosion in the middle of the field, and Swanna's body was flung back. The smoke soon cleared, and both Pokémon tried to get back up. They locked eyes before letting out their battle cries.

"Swanna…" Asper muttered.

Swanna cooed before she fell forward, completely collapsing to the ground.

The referee nodded and then held up his flags. "Swanna is unable to battle! Metagross and Yuta are the victors!"

"In a dominating fashion, our Hoenn Hero, Yuta wins! It looks like Kato Yuta will be moving onto the Top 8 to face off against Logan Stephenson!" the announcer yelled into the microphone as Asper quietly returned his Pokémon.

Yuta looked up into the crowd, his eyes meeting with Logan.

* * *

"Well, looks like it's you vs. Yuta. Be careful. The way that he battles is ruthless," Mao said. "I'll be watching."

The day was over, and a lot of the trainers that lost were now making their way home. Logan and Mao met in the Pokémon Center for what would potentially be their final meeting.

"Going back to Rustboro?" Logan asked.

She nodded. "I have lessons to prepare, and I think I'm going to work on an application to battle with the Elite Four. I'm a former winner of a conference, so they'll at least consider my offer."

Logan grinned. "And when I win, I'll be taking them on too. We'll become members together!"

"Sounds like a plan." Mao stepped forward and gave Logan a hug. "You can do this. Don't hold back."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

But can Logan do this?! Guess we'll find out… soon.

It's now onto the Top 8! The next chapter is going to be Luna vs. Finn (Top 8). I'm excited to write for that one, because the two have very different approaches to battling.


	64. Prep vs Pure Talent! Finn vs Luna!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 64 - Prep vs. Pure Talent! Finn vs. Luna!**

* * *

"What have you done to prepare for Luna?" Logan asked as he entered Finn's room. Finn's Pokémon were all surrounding his computer, and they were looking at some data. Yurie was there too, and she was reading about some of the other competitors.

Finn laughed. "All that I can. Luna's Pokémon are all top level, so this will not be easy."

The writing was on the wall for both of them. Finn was a good battler, but they both knew what was coming. Finn turned and smiled. "You ready for Yuta?"

"About that… What do you know about him?" Logan asked.

Finn sighed and closed a window on the computer. "He's not going to be a pushover. So far, he's shuffled between about ten different Pokémon. They're all top level too. You saw his Metagross yesterday. You're going to want to use your best Pokémon."

Yurie looked at the different Pokémon on the screen. "It doesn't surprise me that Yuta has come this far in such a short amount of time. He was always so ahead of everyone else in our class. He was even scoring higher on tests than my older brother and his friends."

Logan took in a deep breath. "I don't want to have to use my strongest Pokémon this early in the tournament, but Yuta may be forcing my hand."

"Let's do our best today!" Finn exclaimed. "If we both manage to win, then it's me vs. you in the semi-finals."

* * *

"Our next Top 8 battle will be between Finn Denholm from Galar and Luna Devons from Unova! These two both competed together last year in Alola, but they now find themselves head to head in the Ever Grande Conference! Luna is no doubt the clear favorite to win the entire tournament, but can Finn pull off a surprise upset today? Don't look away!" the announcer's voice echoed throughout the stadium as Finn and Luna walked to their places.

"This is exciting," Finn said. "Didn't think it'd ever come to us, but I'm glad."

Luna remained silent.

"The following match will be a full six on six battle between Finn Denholm and Luna Devons. A winner will be determined when one side's Pokémon have all fainted. We will go into a short intermission when one side has lost three Pokémon. We will start on the water field!" the referee declared as she held up two flags. "Begin!"

"Haunter, go!" Finn called out while throwing his Poké Ball into the air. A purple Pokémon made of gas appeared above the field. He stuck his tongue out and laughed at Luna.

Luna glared at the Pokémon and then drew out her ball. "Dewott, you're on!" A blue mid-sized Pokémon materialized on the field. He reached to grab the two scalchops that were sheathed on his thighs.

Logan smiled. "So, that's how confident she is."

"What do you mean?" Yurie asked.

"Dewott is by no means a weak Pokémon, especially Luna's. But in terms of the Pokémon that she's raised, Dewott may be her weakest. She's taunting Finn."

"Haunter, use Shadow Punch!"

"Razor Shell, Dewott!"

Haunter's hand started to glow with a wispy purple energy, and he quickly flew forward across the field. Meanwhile, Dewott lifted his scalchops and surrounded them with aquatic energy. He patiently waited for his ghostly opponent, and when they were in range, they both swung. The two Pokémon blasted past one another, and they paused, waiting to see the results of their dual. Shock slowly came over Haunter as the pain from Dewott's attack set in.

"Give him another!" Luna commanded.

Dewott spun around and swung at Haunter.

"Sucker Punch!"

Haunter grinned and then shot backwards. He swiftly ducked under Dewott's strike and then uppercutted him, dark energy exploding from his hand. Dewott was knocked back only slightly.

"Use Water Pulse!"

Dewott nodded and then put his scalchops back in place before forming an orb of aquatic energy in between his two hands. He lifted the orb into the air, but Finn was ready.

"Hypnosis!"

Before Dewott could toss the ball towards the ground, Haunter darted forward. He placed his giant claw on top of Dewott's head and focused his energy. The two stared at one another before a glossy look came over Dewott's eyes. His head slumped, and he dropped the ball of water onto himself.

Finn laughed. "Nice!"

"What happened?" Yurie wondered.

"Haunter put Dewott to sleep. While Dewott still is technically in the battle, he'll remain unable to move for a little bit," Logan explained.

"Use Dream Eater!" Finn ordered.

Haunter released his grip of Dewott's head, and his eyes started to glow red. Dewott's body shook, and he slowly stumbled backwards. The Water-type collapsed to one knee and then gripped his head. Then, the glossy look in his eyes faded away, and he shot a glare at Haunter.

Luna grinned. "Very lucky. Razor Shell!"

Before Finn could make his call, Dewott span around. He pulled out his scalchops and filled them with energy before slicing low at Haunter. The Ghost-type fell from the air and slowly floated back to the ground.

"Finish it with Water Pulse!"

Dewott reached out his hands, and as though they were magnetic, the water from before rose from the ground and became an orb once more. He lunged the orb at the ground, and it exploded into a wave. The wave washed over Haunter, and when the attack was finished, Haunter laid limp on the ground.

"Haunter is unable to battle! Dewott is the winner!" the referee announced.

Finn returned Haunter and grinned. "I thought that we had 'em. We'll just have to play smarter." He grabbed his next Poké Ball. "Boltund, let's go!"

Finn's Pokémon appeared. It was a thin canine Pokémon with yellow fur running down its back. It chased its tail before noticing Dewott and then taking a fighting position.

"You may have the type advantage, but a playfully Boltund isn't going to do much against me," Luna said. "Ice Beam!"

"Thunderbolt!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks onto the field, and the energy collided above the middle pool of water, causing an explosion.

"Psychic Fangs!" Finn yelled.

"Razor Shell!"

The two Pokémon leapt into the explosion, but Dewott was tossed back quicker than expected. He fell onto the ground and held out his scalchops, but Boltund was too fast. He emerged from the smoke and smashed his entire body into Dewott's midsection. Dewott keeled back but quickly recovered. His body shook as he stood back up.

"Aerial Ace!" Luna ordered.

Before Finn could make his next command, Dewott shot forward. He swiped his two scalchops at Boltund, getting a direct hit.

"Now Water Pulse!"

In one quick motion, Dewott sheathed his scalchops and then formed a ball of aquatic energy in his hands. He released the ball of energy onto the field, engulfing Boltund entirely. When the wave washed away, Boltund limped around the field.

"Finish this with Razor Shell."

Dewott lifted one his scalchops into the air, and he menacingly grinned at Boltund.

"Play Rough!"

Before Dewott could strike, Boltund unleashed a ball from his mouth. It exploded into a pink smoke, blasting Dewott away, but the Water-type quickly recovered. He pulled his other scalchop from its sheath and then ran down the field.

"Boltund, I'm sorry! Use Wild Charge!"

The entire crowd went silent as Boltund started to glow white. He sucked energy into his body and then unleashed it all at once before charging across the field. The two Pokémon collided, causing an explosion of white light that blinded the crowd momentarily. When the light from his attack faded away, both Pokémon were revealed to be unconscious.

"Dewott and Boltund are both unable to battle!" the referee declared while holding up both of her flags.

"You were able to actually defeat Dewott. I'm surprised," Luna said. "But it came at the cost of two of your Pokémon." She pulled out her next Poké Ball. "Banette, go!" A ghostly Pokémon appeared on the field, and it waved around its wavy arms while its mouth, seemingly made of a zipper, chattered.

Finn smiled. "Cute! Weezing, let's go!" From Finn's Poké Ball a dark green Pokémon with appeared. It floated above the field, and with its multiple faces mangled together, it look continuously pained. It had a long cylinder smokestack that came from its largest head, making it look a lot taller.

"I've never seen a Weezing like that," Himawari commented. "It looks sicker than usual."

"It's from Galar," Logan said.

"Start with Thunderbolt!" Luna commanded.

Banette waved her arms in the air a bit before she discharged electric energy from her body. The sparks crackled against the field, tearing into the grass and electrifying the ponds. The attack collided with Weezing, making him cry out in pain, and Luna was quick to make her next call.

"Ice Wind!" she ordered.

"Fight back with Flamethrower!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their elemental attacks from their mouths. Fire and ice clashed in the middle of the field, causing an explosion of smoke and steam. Mist formed over the field, and the two Pokémon were soon hidden.

"Gyro Ball!" Finn called.

No one could see what was happening, but inside the smoke, a faint silhouette could be seen bouncing around. The sound of clanking metal reverberated throughout the stadium, and everyone stared wide eyed at the field, looking for any indication as to what was going on.

"Thunderbolt!" Luna yelled.

The clanging stopped as light pierced through the mist. With one sudden flash and explosion, the mist was stripped away, and both Pokémon remained floating in the air. Banette looked worn down while Weezing was laughing.

"C'mon, Weezing! Sludge Bomb!"

Weezing started to choke as he sucked in air. With one big heave, he hurled purple sludge out of his giant mouth into the air.

"Sucker Punch!"

Before Weezing could finish spewing his purple sludge, Banette slid across the field, easily avoiding all of the attack. She jabbed directly at Weezing, knocking him backwards.

"She's too quick," Finn muttered. "Sorry, Weezing! Self-destruct!"

Weezing began to laugh as his body started to glow white. He let out one more maniacal howl before time stopped, and his body exploded, sending a bright energy across the field. Both Pokémon were completely engulfed by the light, and everyone covered their eyes.

When everyone could see once more, they all instantly turned their attention to the field. Only Weezing remained on the field, his body floating in one of the pools. Banette was nowhere to be found.

"What happened?" Yurie wondered.

Suddenly, a purple portal opened up in the middle of the field, and Banette emerged. She snickered as she looked at her downed opponent. Her trick worked.

"Used Phantom Force to get out of the way," Finn muttered.

"I know how you battle, Finn. Your explosion technique wasn't going to surprise me," Luna exclaimed. "You're self-destructive strategies aren't going to get you the win. You're going to have to try harder now."

"Weezing is unable to battle! Banette is the winner!" the referee declared. "Finn has lost three Pokémon, so we will now go into our fifteen minute break."

Finn raised his hand. "I have a request."

The referee appeared perplexed. "Wh-what?"

"Can we skip the intermission? I don't need it."

Luna nodded. "Me neither."

The referee looked up at Mr. Goodshow, who slowly gave him the thumbs up. The referee raised her flags. "We'll continue!"

"Well this is new! I guess you'll have to wait a little bit longer to go to the bathroom, folks!" the announcer screamed into his microphone. "Hold on tight because it's about to get even more intense!"

The crowd cheered as Luna returned Banette. She then tossed another Poké Ball into the air, and a medium sized Pokémon holding a bone with fire on both of its ends appeared.

"Good to see your Marowak in good health!" Finn said. "But he won't stand a chance against my OG Pokémon! Croconaw, let's go!"

"Use Bonemerang!" Luna ordered.

Marowak lifted his bone above his head and spun it around before heaving into the air directly towards Croconaw.

"Dragon Claw!"

Croconaw howled as his charged arcane energy into his claws. He leapt into the air as the bone came closer, and he grabbed onto it. With one swift motion, he lunged the bone into the ground, putting it to a stop.

"A Marowak without its weapon," Logan muttered. "Interesting."

"Now, Croconaw! Use Ice Fang!"

Croconaw tilted his head back and unhinged his maw. Crystals of ice formed over his teeth, and he started to run forward.

"Meet him halfway with Flare Blitz!" Luna commanded.

"Marowak!" her Pokémon cried out as he bounded towards the middle of the field. The two Pokémon clashed with one another, causing smoke to shoot into the air. Marowak blew past Croconaw and out of the smoke. He twisted his body and grabbed the bone from the ground, Croconaw following behind in his shadow. Marowak quickly turned and swung his club, but Croconaw caught it with his mouth, freezing over the area without fire. The two struggled for a bit and waited for their trainers' next orders.

"Brick Break!" Luna's voice called.

Marowak released his grip on his club and then swung his fist downwards, smashing it on the top of Croconaw's head. Croconaw stumbled back and howled in pain.

"Marowak, let's do this!"

Marowak nodded and then did a somersault to his side of the field. Luna raised her hand, unveiling a bracelet that she had attached to her wrist. The crystal in the middle began to glow, and Luna and her Pokémon started to strike synchronized poses. Marowak's body was filled with energy, and his eyes started to glow.

"Inferno Overdrive!"

Marowak span his bone in circles and started to create a massive ball of fire in front of him. He then lifted his club and swung it, hitting the ball and making it fly towards Croconaw.

"Hydro Pump!" Finn yelled.

"It won't be strong enough!" Logan exclaimed.

The fire overtook Croconaw's position, making a gigantic explosion of fire. When the flames faded away, all that remained was smoke, but Croconaw was nowhere to be found.

"Incinerated?" Himawari wondered.

Croconaw's voice howled from the sky, and everyone looked into the air. The chubby Water-type was falling down towards the earth with a big smile on his face.

"Hydro Pump! This time, make it hurt!" Finn ordered.

"Croco!" the Pokémon yelled out before unleashing a thick stream of water from his mouth. The water crashed into Marowak, sending the Fire-type reeling backwards. Marowak smacked hard against the wall and then slumped to the ground before Croconaw landed and then posed. The crowd cheered.

"Marowak is unable to battle! Croconaw wins!" the referee declared.

"What? What exactly happened? That Fire-type attack was too strong!" Himawari questioned. "What happened?!"

The crowd all looked at the screen as it showed replays of Inferno Overdrive. Seconds before it would have connected with Croconaw, he blasted water at the ground, which sent him soaring into the air.

"Insane…" Himawari muttered.

"Like I said before, Finn is by no means a bad trainer. He knows exactly what he's doing," Logan said.

Luna withdrew Marowak and then glared at Finn before a smile came across her face. She looked up at screen and observed that she still had four Pokémon remaining while Finn was only left with three. "You're not in a good position, Finn."

Finn laughed. "Nah, but I'll work with what I've got."

Luna looked up into the stands. She locked eyes with Logan. "When I came to Hoenn, Professor Birch asked if I'd help with some of his research, and I agreed. We're studying mega evolution, and I've gotta say, the results are amazing." She pulled her next Poké Ball from her belt. "You like to learn new things, Finn, so how about it? Let me show you the power of mega evolution!" With that, she threw her next Poké Ball into the air, and a tall Pokémon with long red legs, fire exploding from its wrists, and long beige hair-like feathers hanging from the back of its head appeared. It struck a fighting pose when it saw Croconaw.

Finn laughed nervously. "So, that's a Blaziken? Never seen one in real life before."

Luna lifted her other wrist, revealing one more bracelet. She pushed the stone that was in the middle, and it began to glow. Energy surged throughout the area, making the wind stop blowing. As the stone's glow got brighter, Blaziken's energy surged more and more. Soon, he was absorbed by an orb of multi-colored energy, and once it exploded, a new form was born. This form had patches of black feathers, and the fire on his wrist now took the shape of ribbons.

"Mega Blaziken," Logan muttered.

"We'll hit them with strongest move we can!" Finn declared. He raised his wrist, revealing his blue Z-crystal. It shined brightly as Finn and Croconaw started to pose in synchronization. "Hydro Vortex!"

"Croconaw!" the Pokémon cried out as his body was covered in aquatic energy. He started to spin in the air, creating a giant whirlpool with his body. The whirlpool quick moved towards Blaziken, ready to absorb the Fire-type.

"Sky Uppercut!"

Blaziken nodded and then took a step backwards. He let the whirlpool suck him in, and he quickly disappeared. The crowd focused as the whirlpool in front of them wavered and then became more intense. It suddenly stood still, and both of the Pokémon emerged. Blaziken firmly had his fist pressed against Croconaw's lower jaw, and the two flew into the air. Croconaw crashed down onto the ground, and his body slid weakly against the field.

The referee looked closely at Croconaw before raising her flag. "Croconaw is unable to battle! Blaziken wins!"

Finn returned his Pokémon and then sighed. "So, that's the kind of power that mega evolution contains. I guess I'm not too surprised after Yuta's battle." He pulled out his next Poké Ball. "I'll have to fight with all that I can! Coalossal, let's do it!"

His Pokémon materialized on the field and span around. He blew smoke onto the ground in an effort to intimidate Blaziken. He was a large Pokemon made of coal with deep red eyes.

"Start with Sky Uppercut!"

"Iron Defense!"

Blaziken darted across the field as Coalossal started to glow with a silvery tint. The Fighting-type knelt down and then shot upwards, punching the bottom of Coalossal of the stomach and sending him rolling backwards.

"Now, Blaze Kick!" Luna instructed.

Using his forward motion from before, Blaziken span his body around, and with one swift movement, he kicked Coalossal. Finn's Pokémon finally shifted its body and then looked down at Luna's Blaziken.

"Sky Uppercut!"

"Smokescreen!"

As Blaziken leapt into the air, Coalossal unleashed smoke from his mouth onto the field. Blaziken was blinded by the smoke and fell back to the ground. He tried to wave the smoke away, and meanwhile, Finn took his chance.

"Earthquake!"

Coalossal did its best to tuck its body, and then plummeted back to the field. He crashed into the middle, causing the entire area to shake. Blaziken stumbled a bit, but was able to maintain his footing.

"Now, Incinerate!" Finn ordered.

Coalossal span his body around and got back to a standing position. He released one small burst of flames from his mouth. The flames surrounded Blaziken completely, engulfing his body.

"Use your own Earthquake!"

Blaziken lifted one of his legs and then smashed it into the ground, extinguishing the flames completely. The rumbling continued to shake the field, sending Coalossal into the air. He then crashed down hard onto his back, unable to get back up.

"Coalossal is unable to battle! Blaziken wins!" the referee declared.

Finn returned Coalossal and then looked up at the screen. He only had one Pokémon left to Luna's four. With a sigh, he drew out his last Poké Ball and tossed it onto the field. His Dusknoir emerged and prepared to fight.

"Fighting-type moves won't work on your Dusknoir, so I'll have to resort to my other tactics," Luna said. "But I'm by no means worried. Blaziken can outspeed anything and then keep the attacks coming."

Finn laughed. "I noticed that. Every time Blaziken attacks, he seems to get faster. I guess that'd be his ability in his mega form?"

Luna nodded.

"This is exciting! Dusknoir, start with Future Sight!"

Dusknoir charged some energy, and sent a purple haze into the air.

"We'll have to be careful," Luna said. "Use Blaze Kick!"

"Blaziken!" the Pokémon roared out as he leapt into the sky. He did a front flip, and his right leg became engulfed in flames.

"Shadow Ball!" Finn ordered.

Dusknoir formed a ball of shadowy energy in his palms and then released it forward, but Blaziken was too strong. He kicked straight through the ball and then landed directly on Dusknoir's stomach. Dusknoir fell back a little bit, but he was still ready to fight.

"Ice Beam!"

Dusknoir opened the stomach on his mouth and then released a beam of ice onto the field. The beam connected with Blaziken, seemingly only annoying him.

"Use Earthquake!" Luna barked.

Blaziken nodded and then tried to move, but he couldn't. He looked down, noticing that his feet were frozen to the ground. He took the next move upon himself, setting his legs on fire and instantly melting the ice, but what he didn't notice was the purple cloud forming above him. Pink and purple lightning then struck down, electrifying Blaziken with psychic energy.

"Charge Beam!" Finn ordered.

Dusknoir waved around his arms, creating electricity throughout his fingers. He pointed at Blaziken, sending the electrical waves outwards. The beam connected directly, forcing Blaziken down to one knee.

"Another Shadow Ball!"

"Get out of the way, and use Blaze Kick!"

Blaziken jumped, avoiding the ball of shadowy energy, and then he twisted his body. With one movement, he kicked outwards, sending fire soaring at Dusknoir. The attack collided directly, making Dusknoir float backwards.

"Let's try Future Sight again!" Finn yelled.

"I don't think so! Finish this with Brave Bird!"

As Dusknoir started to charge his energy, Blaziken bounded forward. His body became covered in blue flames, and he crashed into the Ghost-type, causing smoke to blow into the air. When the smoke faded away, both Pokémon collapsed to the ground.

The referee raised her flags. "Both Blaziken and Dusknoir are unable to battle! All of Finn's Pokémon have fainted while Luna still has three remaining, which means that the victory goes to Luna!"

The crowd cheered as the two trainers returned their Pokémon. Finn looked up and waved at the audience, sucking in every last second that he could. When it was their time, the two walked to the back, and Logan ran down to the locker room as fast as he could in his boot.

"Too bad you won't get your rematch," Logan said while patting Finn on the back. "I was really rooting for you."

"I had her on the ropes!" Finn exclaimed before the two burst out laughing.

"You need to take this more seriously," Luna snapped.

The two boys looked at each other, not knowing who she was talking to.

"Both of you. Finn, you let your Pokémon down, and Logan, if you don't try harder, you're not even going to make it past Yuta," Luna said. She looked up at the board. The winner between Yuta and Logan would be moving on to face her in the semi-finals. "And if you can't even make it that far, then going off on your own only proves that you're weak."

Logan made a fist. "I am taking this seriously. Every battle that I'm in, I give 100%. You'll see."

"Logan," a voice called from behind. The group turned to find Yuta in his green collared shirt buttoned up all the way to the top. "It's time for our battle."

Logan smiled. "I'm ready!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Thanks for reading! Next battle is Logan vs. Yuta, which is a battle I've been waiting to write for almost a year now. It'll be another two parter. Overall, the reception to how I've written the league has been largely positive, so I'm happy. There have been a couple of things brought up that I should address though.

**Why hasn't Logan used a Z-move until now?** \- When Logan came to Hoenn, he left everything behind. He didn't even bring Poké Balls. He had no intention of training, and I don't imagine that there'd be any way for Juniper to send him his Z-ring while he was constantly moving around. Also, as far as I've written, Logan only has the specialized crystals for Lycanroc, Incineroar, and one more. He couldn't use them with his Hoenn team anyways.

**Will Logan have Manectric Mega Evolve?** \- I only want to answer this question in advance, because I don't want to disappoint anyone. But no. He won't. Logan hasn't actively searched for Mega Stones like Yuta has. And I want to keep Mega Evolution special. I was considering originally having Logan Mega Evolve Manectric before Swampert, but I ultimately decided that he has a better bond with Swampert. If anyone ever Mega Evolves a Manectric, it would probably be Himawari in the distant future.

**There are too many characters with names that start with 'Y'** \- Yeah, I'm sorry. This wasn't on purpose. I named Yuta after one of my best friends in Japan. Yurie is my favorite female Japanese name, so that's why that's Yurie's name. I decided to go with two 'Yu' names with Yui and Yuriko because they're family. I realized this 'Yu' issue in Chapter 20, but it was too late to change any of the names.


	65. Logan vs Yuta - Logan's Path

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 65 - Logan vs. Yuta - Part 1 - Logan's Path**

* * *

**11 Months Ago**

"_Bite!" Logan ordered._

_Poochyena opened his mouth and bit down onto Treecko's tail._

"_Got 'em!" Logan said._

"_Fight through the pain!" Yuta commanded._

_The Treecko stopped screeching and glared at Poochyena. His movements were jittery._

"_Use Pound!"_

_Treecko jumped into the air, Poochyena still attached. He twisted his body and flung Poochyena towards the ground, smashed the Pokémon hard. When the dust had settled, both Pokémon barely stood._

"_Poochyena, you okay?" Logan asked._

_Poochyena let out a battle cry and sneered._

"_Fantastic!" Logan responded, but his smile soon faded once Poochyena collapsed from exhaustion. Treecko soon followed._

_The trainers both ran to their Pokémon._

"_A tie," Yuta muttered._

* * *

**Present Day**

"Hello, everyone! And welcome back to the quarter-finals of the Ever Grande Conference! We've come down to our top eight, but it's time to halve that once more. In the previous battles, we saw Luna defeat Finn, Kenta defeat Adam, and Clark defeat Royal! Now, it's Logan Stephenson from the Unova region taking on Kato Yuta from Littleroot Town! These are two of the crowd's favorites, so we're sure to see an intense showdown," the announcer said.

"The following battle will be a six on six full battle between Logan Stephenson from Unova and Kato Yuta from Littleroot Town to determine who goes onto the semi-finals! There will be a short intermission once one side has lost three battles. We will start on the ice field! Trainers, begin!" the referee announced. He held up his flags.

Logan threw his Poké Ball onto the field. "Incineroar, it's on you!" His Pokémon appeared and then posed for the crowd.

Yuta calmly pulled his Poké Ball from his belt. "Salamence, go." He pushed the button, releasing a Dragon-type into the air. It landed on the ground and then roared.

_Starting off really strong. But Incineroar is nothing to laugh at._ Logan thought. "I'll give the first move to you, Yuta."

"I'll take it. Salamence, Earthquake!"

"Starting off _really_ strong," Logan muttered. "Incineroar, let's go! Cross Chop!"

As Salamence leapt into the air and began to charge energy in his legs, Incineroar rushed him. Incineroar jumped at Salamence with his arms crossed, and he swiped at the Dragon-type. Salamence took the attack directly, but only flew back a little bit. He then continued his attack and came crashing down onto the stage, shaking the whole stadium. Incineroar landed back onto the field and felt the immediate effects of the Ground-type attack. He fell to one knee and roared.

"Steel Wing," Yuta commanded.

The wings on Salamence's back were suddenly turned to solid steel, and he bounded forward.

"Flamethrower!" Logan yelled.

"Into the air!"

As Incineroar released a flurry of flames from his mouth, Salamence soared into the air. Incineroar painted the sky with his flames, attempting to get even a scratch on Salamence.

"Now dive!"

Salamence continuously avoided the flames as he descended towards the ground.

"Incineroar, go!"

Incineroar nodded and then turned his attention to the ground. He blasted flames once more from his mouth, and he was shot into the air as Salamence collided with the field.

"Flying Cross Chop!" Logan yelled.

Incineroar crossed his arms as he fell back towards the ground. Before Yuta could make his next command, Incineroar smashed into the Dragon-type with his attack. Where the two collided with one another, there was a small explosion, and both were covered in dust and smoke. They both retreated to their respective sides of the field and stared at one another. The crowd started to cheer loudly, and Incineroar smiled.

"Even though Salamence is a pseudo-legendary, Logan's Incineroar is insanely strong," Finn told Yurie and Himawari. "The two trained together in Alola. I have a lot of faith in Incineroar's abilities."

Yurie leaned forward. She had never seen a Pokémon like Incineroar before, and the Logan that she saw on the battlefield was almost an entirely different person.

"Flamethrower!" both of the trainers commanded.

Their Pokémon followed suit, unleashing hot flames onto the field and completely melting the ice, transforming the field into a regular rocky stage. The flames collided with one another and then exploded.

"Darkest Lariat!"

"Go in with Dragon Claw!"

Both of the Pokémon dove into the smoke, but it was Salamence that was knocked out of it.

"Flare Blitz!" Logan ordered.

The smoke suddenly blew away as Incineroar's body became engulfed in flames. He charged forward, crashing into the Dragon-type Pokémon. Salamence was tossed back, but nowhere near finished.

Yuta looked down at his bracelet and then shook his head. "No. Not yet! Keep up the pressure! Use Dragon Claw!"

"It's time for us to use our special move!" Logan called.

Incineroar nodded and then jumped back. Logan raised his bracelet with the Z-crystal in it, and the two started to strike poses in unison.

"Malicious Moonsault!"

Seconds before Salamence swiped his arcane energy filled claws, Incineroar leapt into the air, his body exploding with dark energy. He flipped his body multiple times and then stretched out his limbs. Before Salamence could react, Incineroar came crashing down, flattening Salamence into the earth.

The referee looked at Salamence before making his call. He raised his flag. "Salamence is unable to battle! Incineroar is the winner!"

"How in the world?" Yuta wondered before returning his Poké Ball. He looked at his hand. It was shaking violently. "I'm nervous?"

"Take a few deep breaths, Yuta," Logan said. He smiled. "I want you at your best."

Yuta nodded and then closed his eyes. He drew out his next Poké Ball and tossed it onto the field. A Gardevoir appeared, and she slowly waved her arms around with the flow of her dress.

"As far as I can remember, Gardevoir is a Psychic-type. You sure you're thinking straight, Yuta?" Logan asked. "I hope you have something planned. My Incineroar loves to put on a show."

"Trust me. We'll be fine. Start with Calm Mind!"

Gardevoir put her hands to her head and began to charge energy. Her eyes glowed purple, and the area around her shook.

"Get in quick! Use Darkest Lariat!"

"Incine!" the Pokémon howled as he bounded forward on all fours. He jumped into the air and span his body around, his arms extending out wide.

"Magical Leaf!"

Gardevoir elegantly ducked under Incineroar's arms. She then put her hands together and unleashed green energy into the air. The green energy pelted into Incineroar's jaw, sending him into the air, but he wasn't injured.

"Flamethrower!" Logan ordered.

"Hyper Beam!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks, making the streams clash in midair. Hyper Beam was stronger though, breaking through Incineroar's flames and then blasting the Fire-type high into the sky. Incineroar crashed down onto the earth, and his body went limp, but his smile never faded from his face.

Logan laughed. "You're Gardevoir is insanely strong." He returned Incineroar. "But my next Pokémon will give her some trouble. Seismitoad, you're up!"

Logan's large Pokémon appeared on the field, and his body wobbled around as he tried to find footing. He put his hands together nervously and looked out at Gardevoir.

"Doesn't really look like Seismitoad wants to fight," Yuta exclaimed.

Logan shook his head. "He does. He just doesn't want to hurt your Pokémon too badly."

"I guess we'll start then. Use Magical Leaf!"

"Sludge Bomb!"

Gardevoir once more released a flurry of leaves onto the field, but they were quickly drowned out by sludge from Seismitoad's attack.

_I wouldn't choose Seismitoad knowing that you have Magical Leaf without a counter in mind._ Logan thought. "Shake things up with Earthquake!"

Seismitoad squatted down low before jumping into the air and landing back on the ground hard. He shook the entire battlefield, and Gardevoir lost her footing.

"One more Sludge Bomb!" Logan called out.

"Hyper Beam!" Yuta yelled.

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks, even though Gardevoir's came a little bit later. But it was no problem, as the beam of light tore through the sludge. It nailed Seismitoad directly, sending him backwards. He rolled behind one of the stones and hid while the Hyper Beam destroyed some of the field. When the attack stopped, Gardevoir stood tall but was breathing heavily.

"Now let's try Sludge Bomb!"

Quicker than one could imagine he could, Seismitoad flipped into the air. He turned his body around and unleashed the purple goo from his mouth once more. It drenched Gardevoir, and she let out a shriek as she fell to one knee.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Moon Blast!"

Gardevoir held her arms into the air as Seismitoad sucked in air. He released pressurized water from his mouth as Gardevoir caused pink energy to rain down from the sky. The two attacks connected, cancelling each other out and causing an explosion.

Before Logan could give Seismitoad his next order, leaves came rushing from the smoke. They tore into Seismitoad, but he once again rolled back and hid behind one of the rocks.

"Destroy that rock with a Moon Blast!" Yuta commanded.

Gardevoir raised her arms into the air once more, forming a ball of energy in between her hands. She then made a forward motion, launching the ball down the field.

"Into the air!"

As the ball of fairy energy collided with the stone, destroying it completely, Seismitoad launched himself into the air, a stream of water flowing from his mouth.

"Now Sludge Bomb!"

Seismitoad did a frontflip, releasing purple sludge from his body. The sludge flew across the field and doused Gardevoir. She let out a howl and then jumped backwards. Her body shook as the poison flowed through her.

"Come down with Earthquake!"

Seismitoad's legs started to glow, and he tucked his knees into his chest. With a large crash, he smashed into the ground, causing the entire field to be covered in fissures. The energy sent Gardevoir into the air, and she landed hard on one of the stones. Her body went limp as it fell to the ground.

"Gardevoir is unable to battle! Seismitoad is the winner!" the referee declared.

Yuta withdrew his fainted Pokémon and then contemplated his next few options. "Your Seismitoad is no pushover despite his demeanor."

Seismitoad nervously put his hands together and lowered his head.

"My Pokémon aren't pushovers either. We're going to come back and win this!" He ripped the next Poké Ball from his belt and held it in the air. "Glalie, let's go!"

A giant ball Pokémon with two pointy ears appeared above the field. He glared menacingly at Seismitoad, making the Water-type even more nervous.

"An Ice-type?" Logan wondered. "This is getting exciting."

"Hail!" Yuta yelled.

"Hydro Pump!"

As Seismitoad took in a big breath, Glalie unleashed a ball of mist into the sky. The ball exploded, filling the air with a haze. From the haze, a sharp crystal of ice fell, nailing Seismitoad in the face. He stopped his attack and felt at his nose, irritated by the weak attack.

"Now, Blizzard!"

Glalie howled while releasing a blast of wind from his mouth. Inside the wind were small ice crystals and snow, which made the attack dangerous. It raced across the field and overtook Seismitoad making him roll back. He raised his arms and knelt down, shielding his face from the wind.

"Gyro Ball!" Yuta's voice called.

From the mess that was the haze, snow, and ice, Glalie emerged. His body was rapidly spinning, and he crashed into Seismitoad, making the Water-type slide back even further. Glalie was quick to retreat back into the haze, and he repeated his attack over and over again until Logan finally came up with a plan.

"Wait for him to come close and use Focus Blast!" he ordered.

Seismitoad was worn out, but he put his hands together, forming a blue ball of chakra in his palms. He patiently waited, calmly looking around his surroundings for anything that looked like Glalie. Eventually, something emerged. Seismitoad used his attack, clearing out an area of the haze, but Glalie was nowhere to be found. With explosive energy, Glalie emerged once more, ramming his large body into Seismitoad's jaw. The Water-type fell to the ground and heaved. He had never been in a situation like this before.

"Seismitoad! You okay?" Logan asked. His Pokémon nodded as he slowly stood back up and tried to focus once more. "Let's not give up! Defensive Sludge Bomb!"

Before Glalie could attack once more, Seismitoad started to spin, releasing the purple from his body, creating a shield of poison. Glalie emerged from the haze once again.

"No! Stop!" Yuta yelled.

But it was too late. Glalie rammed into Seismitoad, and the poison covered his body. He screeched as he slowly floated backwards and tried to get the poison off of him.

"Focus Blast!"

Seismitoad lifted his arms and put his hands together, forming the blue energy ball in front of him. He launched it forward as Glalie reentered the haze. There was a large crash and an explosion, leaving everyone in a state of confusion. When the smoke faded away, one of the large stones from before was now in pieces.

"Missed…" Logan muttered.

"Blizzard!"

From the air, the strong wind came roaring down. It pelted into Seismitoad, and his large body was unable to take it this time. He was lifted off of the ground and tossed backwards, landing against one of the rocks and then falling unconscious.

"Seismitoad is unable to battle! Glalie is the winner!" the referee yelled while the crowd cheered.

Logan returned Seismitoad and sighed. "That thing is fast, and Yuta really knows how to work with weather conditions."

The hail faded slightly as Glalie floated back to his side of the field. He chortled as he looked at Logan.

Logan grabbed his Premier Ball. "We'll just have to outspeed you. Manectric, you're up!"

Manectric appeared on the field and howled. He took note of the weather conditions and then ducked his head, preparing to attack.

"Use Gyro Ball!"

"Flamethrower!" Logan ordered.

Glalie shot across the field as his body started to rapidly spin, and Manectric released flames from his mouth. As soon as the flames connected, Glalie stopped his trajectory and then went into the air. He glared down at Manectric who simply smiled in return.

"With a move like Flamethrower, getting in close will be dangerous," Yuta muttered. "But at least it's not boosted."

"Doesn't matter if it is or not. Manectric is strong enough to take down your Glalie with no problem! Manectric, use Thunder!"

Manectric growled as the sky started to rumble. He unleashed electric energy from his body and into the sky, but when the lightning came crashing down back to the earth, it missed Glalie completely.

"What?!"

Yuta grinned. "I guess that's weather for you. Glalie, use Blizzard!"

Glalie gaped open his maw and released the ice cold attack, covering the field with snow. Manectric got down low as he tried to avoid it, but it was impossible.

"Fight through with Flamethrower!"

Manectric nodded before releasing more flames from his mouth. The flames fought through the wind, and eventually, the two were testing each other's strength, and the attacks were battling it out in the middle of the field.

"Don't give up!" Yuta yelled.

"Give it all you've got!"

The two Pokémon pushed further, blasting their attacks at full power, but it was Blizzard that won out, extinguishing Manectric's flames. The wind once again washed over Manectric, and he collapsed to one knee.

"Manectric! Are you okay?" Logan asked. His Pokémon nodded.

"While he's down, use Crunch!" Yuta commanded.

Glalie bounded forward across the field, now clear of any weather conditions. The Ice-type opened up his mouth, a thick dark energy foaming at his mouth.

"Thunder!" Logan ordered.

Manectric roared as he unleashed the electricity from his body. It came crashing down onto Glalie moments before he could reach Manectric. The Ice-type winced and remained in place while he tried to figure out what just happened.

"Perfect! Now, Flamethrower!"

"Manectric!" the Pokémon cried out while unleashing his flames once more. The fire engulfed Glalie, making him fall back. He collapsed to the ground, unable to continue.

"Glalie is unable to battle! Manectric is the winner!" the referee declared.

"Nice!" Logan yelled out. "You did it, Manectric!" His Pokémon nodded while breathing heavily.

"Since Yuta has lost three of his Pokémon, we will now take a short fifteen minute recess!" the referee declared as Yuta returned his Pokémon.

The crowd started to stir, and some people went to the concessions for food. Yuta sat on the bench behind his trainer's box while Logan walked back to the locker room. Luna and four other trainers were all watching the TV screen as he walked in, and he took a seat away from them. Luna eyed him and then stood up. She walked towards him, and to his surprise, sat down.

"So far, so good," she said. "But if he's using that Metagross from yesterday, then you may be in trouble."

Logan nodded. "I brought along Incineroar for two of his Pokémon, but it looks like I've already used that option. I was hoping to draw out his stronger Pokémon from the beginning, but that didn't happen. The second half is going to be a lot more difficult."

"Well, it doesn't matter who wins," Luna said. "Because I'm next, and I won't hold back."

Logan laughed. "I'm well aware."

Yuta took in a deep breath and looked up at the screen. Three of his strongest Pokémon remained. He had been waiting years for this battle, and he carefully selected his team. He knew that if he could beat Logan, then he could beat anyone.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Alright. Part 1 of this battle is done. The next chapter is going to be a bit of an experiment. It will see the ending to Logan vs. Yuta, and I'm also planning on going into Yuta's journey a bit.


	66. Logan vs Yuta - Yuta's Ambition

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 66 - Logan vs. Yuta - Part 2 - Yuta's Ambition**

* * *

**Two Years Ago**

"C'mon, Logan! You can do this!" Yuta cheered as he watched the Vertress Conference on his TV. One of his new favorite trainers was competing in the semi-finals match, and Yuta believed the louder he yelled, the better he would do. "You're Emboar is too strong to lose!"

"Falling Dragon Tail!" Logan's opponent called.

"Arm Thrust!" the boy with dark brown hair and a black and white jacket ordered.

The two Pokémon on screen had just been separated, and the serpentine Pokémon was airborne. She began to charge arcane energy in her tail as she fell from the sky. She shifted her body slightly and used the motion from her fall to continue downwards to the giant fire Pokémon. He tried to lift his arms, but it was clear that he was too worn out. The Grass-type slammed her tail directly onto the Fire-type's head. Both of them stumbled backwards and glared at one another.

"C'mon!" Yuta yelled.

His cheers went unheard though as the Fire-type fell to one knee and then the other. He huffed and then collapsed completely.

"Emboar is unable to battle! Serperior is the winner! The victory goes to Mao Li!" the referee's voice declared loudly over the TV.

Yuta sat back on his cushion and sighed. "No way…"

"You really tried you best there," Yuta's mother said. "I'm sure Emboar is glad that you supported him."

"I'm going to be a really strong trainer too one day! Maybe I'll even be able to raise an Emboar like that one!" Yuta declared.

"You're making a lot of noise," Yuta's father, a man with a beard of stubble and black messy hair said as he entered the room. "It's too early for that kind of racket." He reached into the fridge and grabbed a beer.

"It's the Vertress Conference, dad!" Yuta said. "The trainers in Unova are really strong!"

His dad shook his head. "The trainers in Hoenn are strong, Yuta."

Yuta nodded.

His mom laughed. "It looks like Yuta found a new person to idolize," she said as she pointed to the boy on the TV. He appeared disappointed as he consoled his Pokémon. "Maybe you'll get a match with him when you become a trainer?"

"You think he'd come to Hoenn?"

Yuta's dad took a drink from his can. "He wouldn't stand a chance here. And besides, my son would wipe the floor with him."

Yuta looked at the TV. "Logan, one day, we'll battle. And I'll show you just how strong a trainer from Hoenn can be! It sounds like so much fun!"

His dad scoffed. "Fun? Kid, if you're going to be a champion, then you need to know that Pokémon battling isn't about having fun. It's about strategizing and beating your opponent by any means possible. Champions bust their butts and have no time for fun. They're ruthless."

Yuta stayed quiet. The boy on the screen, even though he had lost, was still smiling.

* * *

**Present Day**

Yuta looked up into the crowd. No matter what match it was or where he looked, he never saw either of his parents. He always imagined that they would be there. He closed his eyes and focused back onto the battlefield.

"We will now resume this battle on the water field!" the referee declared. He raised his flags into the air and waved them around.

"Camerupt, go!" Yuta yelled while throwing his Poké Ball onto the field. A large Camerupt with red eyes emerged. He lazily looked out onto the field, taking note of the different pools of water.

_Camerupt has Ground-type capabilities, so bringing in Manectric at this point would be foolish. But maybe I can outspeed him with something else._ Logan thought. He pulled a Luxury Ball from his belt. "Go, Fraxure!"

A dark green Dragon-type Pokémon with razor sharp tusks protruding from the sides of his jaw appeared on the field. He roared and waved his tusks around in an intimidating fashion.

"Okay," Finn said. "What's his plan here?"

"Fraxure, start with Dragon Dance!" Logan ordered.

"If that's how we're going to play, then use Sunny Day!"

"They're both going to power up first," Himawari said as the two Pokémon used their attacks. The bright artificial sunlight filled the arena, and Fraxure started to glow with arcane energy. Steam slowly rose from the pond built into the stage.

"Now, get in close with Dragon Claw!" Logan called.

Yuta glared. "Rapid-fire Solar Beam!"

Camerupt roared, and his eyes turned even redder. From the sky, energy built from solar light rained down, but Fraxure was quick. The Dragon-type moved around the energy as it pelted into the ground, and he jumped into the air, swiping directly at Camerupt. He got a direct hit, making Camerupt take a couple steps back.

Yuta grinned. "Eruption!"

Camerupt roared, and the ground below him and Fraxure started to rumble. Fire exploded from the ground, sending Fraxure flying into the air.

Yuta grinned. "Can't dodge now! Solar Beam!"

Camerupt's voice called out, and one more beam shot from the sky, ramming directly into Fraxure, pushing him back to the ground. He crashed hard into one of the pools, but within a few moments, he emerged and swam to the edge. When he came back to the ground, he took in a deep breath but then went back to his battle stance.

"My Fraxure may not be fully evolved, but his pride won't allow him to go down easily," Logan said. "I have to admit though, your attack had me frightened for a moment."

Yuta looked at Fraxure in disbelief. "It's so much stronger than it was two years ago."

"Fraxure!" the Pokémon cried out.

"One more Dragon Dance!"

"No! We can't let him! Use Earth Power!" Yuta commanded quickly.

As Fraxure started to glow with more arcane fire, Camerupt mooed while the ground started to shake. He pulled a giant stone from the earth using psychic powers and then tossed it across the field, but when it landed, Fraxure was too fast, avoiding it completely.

"Give 'em Poison Jab!"

Fraxure zigzagged forward as his tusks started to glow purple. Before Yuta could even think of an order, Fraxure slashed his tusks, hitting a direct hit on Camerupt and making him fall back. The Fire-type howled as his body started to glow a tint of purple, and the poison began to set in.

"No…" Yuta muttered. "We can do this! Hit him with Solar Beam!"

Camerupt slowly recovered but fought through the pain. He started his attack, making it rain solar energy once more. But Fraxure was way too quick.

"We've already seen Camerupt's moves," Logan said. "We can't lose this round. Fraxure, give him Dragon Claw!"

Fraxure spun his body around and then slashed quickly, making Camerupt stumble backwards. He still remained standing, but he was starting to breathe heavily from the damage.

"One more Dragon Claw! Make this one count!"

Fraxure lunged forward.

"Defensive Eruption!" Yuta called.

Before Fraxure could connect, the area around Camerupt exploded with fire, surrounding him completely. Fraxure stopped his attack and looked at the wall of fire in amazement.

"Earth Power!" Yuta's voice called.

A giant stone from the earth emerged from the fire, crashing into Fraxure directly. The Dragon-type was tossed backwards and fell into one of the pools once again.

"Solar Beam!"

A pillar of light struck the pool, releasing steam into the air, and once the light faded away, there was no more water. Fraxure was also missing.

"What?!" Yuta yelled.

"Dragon Claw!"

Fraxure exploded from the pool behind Camerupt, and he swung his claw, getting a direct hit. Camerupt flew into the air and then crashed down hard onto the solid ground. He was unable to make an effort to get back up.

"Camerupt is unable to battle! Fraxure is the winner!" the referee declared.

"What happened?" Himawari asked.

Finn smiled. "So, the pools are all connected with underground channels, and it's my guess that Fraxure simply swam to another pool while everyone was distracted with Solar Beam."

"Incredible," Yurie muttered.

Yuta returned his Pokémon and then looked up at the screen. Two of his Pokémon remained. Logan had four. He peered into the crowd. Still couldn't see them anywhere.

* * *

**One Year Ago**

"So, Mr. Stephenson. If you win the Manalo Conference, what are your plans?" a voice called from the TV. Yuta sat calmly on the ground, but his eyes were glued to the screen.

The boy that Yuta had watched one year previous nervously laughed as the camera pointed towards him. He was covered in sweat which soaked his white t-shirt.

"Well, first… I defeat the Alola Elite Four!" the boy declared. His voice was shaky.

"That's a bold claim!" the interviewer said. He started to pull the microphone away, but Logan grabbed his wrist.

"And then, I'll beat the champion!" he now had fire in his eyes. "And I'll tour the world and take on the champions of other regions!"

The interviewer laughed. "I see! Do you have any champion that you're particularly fond of?"

The boy nodded. "Steven Stone from Hoenn! He's my hero!"

Yuta's eyes widened, and he shot up straight. "Steven's my hero too!"

"Quiet," Yuta's dad mumbled. He was almost passed out on the couch, a beer firmly in his grip. "It's too late for that."

"Sorry…" Yuta turned back to the TV and he sat back down. "Logan's hero is Steven. That's amazing. I hope he wins. I hope he comes to Hoenn. I want to see that battle."

"Well, folks. You heard it here! If Logan wins, then he's going to tour the world and take on all of our champions!" the interviewer said. "And now, onto our next contestant!"

Yuta turned away and picked up his notebook and pencil. He flipped through the pages and quickly found the one with Logan's name on it. It had listed the Pokémon that he used in both the Vertress and Manalo Conferences along with their attacks. Yuta smiled.

"I think you could beat Steven."

* * *

**Present Day**

Yuta drew out his next Poké Ball. "We won't lose today." He threw his Poké Ball into the air, and the Pokémon that everyone feared emerged, Metagross.

Logan gritted his teeth together. "If he Mega Evolves, I'm in a tough spot."

Yuta shook his head. "Patience is rewarding, Logan. Not just yet."

"Then let's fight with everything we have! Fraxure, power up one more time! Dragon Dance!"

Blue flames encircled Fraxure as he roared, building up energy, but this time, Yuta wasn't in a hurry to attack.

"Go ahead. It won't matter," he said. "Meteor Mash!"

Metagross withdrew its four arms and then shot across the field. Once it reached Fraxure, it swung one of its giant arms, but Fraxure was easily able to dodge it.

"Dragon Claw!" Logan ordered.

"Keep going!"

The two Pokémon swung their attacks, clashing in the middle of the air. They paused for a moment before both were knocked backwards a little bit. And without needing their trainers' orders, they swiped once more. Fraxure was overpowered slightly, and his legs buckled, allowing Metagross to send him backwards.

"Now use Zen Headbutt!" Yuta yelled.

Metagross twisted his body before lunging forward. He tackled into Fraxure while psychic energy exploded from his body, sending the Dragon-type into the air.

"Come down with Dragon Claw!" Logan ordered.

Using the momentum of his fall, Fraxure swiped downwards, getting a strong hit against the Steel-type, and sending it reeling. Once Fraxure was back on the ground, he knew what was coming.

"Giga Impact!" both of the trainers ordered.

The two Pokémon exploded with white energy as they leapt forward. They clashed in the middle of the field, causing a small explosion. Both of them were tossed backwards, but only Metagross remained strong. Fraxure's body went limp as he collided with the ground, and the referee examined him closely.

"Fraxure is unable to battle! Metagross is the winner!"

Logan nodded. "You did great, Fraxure." He returned his Pokémon and readied his next Poké Ball.

"Even though Fraxure used Dragon Dance repeatedly, that only increased Fraxure's speed and attack stats for the match. Fraxure was still defensively weak, especially when you compare it to a Metagross," Finn explained.

"But he put up a great fight!" Himawari explained. He flexed what he had of muscles in his thin arms. "He has dragon's blood after all!"

Yurie sighed. "Not this again…"

Logan flipped his Poké Ball upwards and then tossed it into the air. Once more, Manectric appeared onto the field. Although he had taken some damage during his battle with Glalie, he was still eager to fight.

Yuta laughed. "Alright. Use Earthquake!"

"Use those legs! Get into the air!"

As Metagross shifted its body and shoved one of its massive claws into the ground, Manectric jumped into the air. The entire field shook from Metagross' attack, but Manectric didn't feel a thing.

"Flamethrower!"

"Manectric!" the Pokémon howled before unleashing a heavy stream of fire from his mouth. The stream engulfed Metagross completely, forcing him to stop his attack.

"Now Thunder!"

The sky rumbled as Manectric howled. As he fell from the air, he unleashed lightning from his body. The lightning soared into the air and collected in the clouds before unleashing back down onto the field. It blasted Metagross, making the Steel-type wince with pain. When the attack stopped, Manectric came back to the ground and sneered at Metagross.

"Those were two very strong strikes," Yuta said. "But unfortunately for you, very strong isn't good enough! Metagross, finish Manectric with Zen Headbutt!"

"Fight back with Wild Charge!"

The two Pokémon bounded towards the middle of the field. Manectric had already collected electricity from his previous attack, so he was instantly absorbed in energy. As Metagross flew forward, his body emitted a psychic aura. Eventually, the two met, causing one more explosion to light up the field. From the explosion, Manectric's body flew. It landed with a hard _thud_ on the ground, and he didn't recover. When the dust settled, Metagross remained standing strong in the middle of the battleground.

Logan sighed. "Dang." He returned Manectric and then grabbed his next Poké Ball. "Go all out, Dusclops!"

Dusclops emerged on the field, calmly waving his two hands around as he looked at Metagross. The Steel-type had taken quite a lot of damage in its previous battles, but Dusclops knew that he was still in for quite the fight.

"Start with your Fire Punch!" Logan ordered.

Dusclops slid forward as though he were skating on ice, and his hand started to glow with the light of flames.

"Meteor Mash!"

Metagross lifted its large claw, but Dusclops was faster. He jabbed upwards, hitting Metagross on its underside, stopping it in its tracks. Metagross winced and then looked down at Dusclops. With one swift movement, it swung its claw downwards.

"Get back!" Logan yelled.

Dusclops jumped backwards, narrowly missing Metagross' attack.

"Now give it a Shadow Punch!"

Ghostly energy formed around Dusclops' other hand, and he punched forwards, shooting his hand off like a rocket. It ricocheted off of Metagross' face, making the Steel-type stumble backwards.

"We got this!" Logan yelled.

"Earthquake!"

Metagross used the motion of its backwards movement and lifted both of its front claws into the air. What followed was one of the most powerful Earthquake attacks Logan had ever felt. The ground below Dusclops and Metagross crumbled, and the Ghost-type was sent soaring into the air.

"Now Zen Headbutt!"

Metagross spun its body around and retracted its giant claws before floating into the air. Purple energy exploded from its face while it shot forward.

"Keep it back with Ice Beam!" Logan ordered.

Dusclops twisted his body and then released his light blue beam of ice downwards. It collided with Metagross, but that didn't stop the behemoth of steel from racing forwards. The two Pokémon smashed into one another, and Dusclops was shot downwards, crashing into the ground.

"Dusclops!" Logan yelled out.

Metagross slowly floated back towards the ground, and it loomed over the dust and smoke where Dusclops had crashed.

Suddenly, the ghostly energy from before emerged, crashing directly into Metagross' face. The smoke cleared, and Dusclops was revealed to be safe, both of his arms filled with dark energy. He swung a right. Direct hit. He swung a left. Direct hit. Repeatedly, he jabbed at Metagross, making the Steel-type pull out its massive claws. The two were now standing on the field, and Dusclops was forcing Metagross back with every jab.

"Don't let him get to you!" Yuta yelled. "Meteor Mash!"

Metagross lifted its claw once more, and Dusclops jabbed, getting in a hit in the middle of the Steel-type's face. Metagross' claw then fell to the ground with the rest of its body. In a loud crash, Metagross collapsed.

"Metagross is unable to battle! Dusclops wins!"

The crowd was silent for a moment before they erupted into applause.

Logan sighed with relief. "Fantastic…"

Yuta looked at his Pokémon in complete shock. He slowly lifted his Poké Ball, and the red light absorbed Metagross. "You've really cornered me, Logan."

* * *

**Eleven Months Ago**

It was quiet in Rustboro Forest as Yuta made his way through. He had defeated the Rustboro gym leader with no problem, but he unfortunately had to make his way back through the forest to get to the next gym.

"This is boring," he said. He pulled out his Poké Ball and sighed before releasing Treecko. "Let's walk together. Can't hurt to talk, I guess."

Treecko looked a little bit confused but then nodded. He lead the way while Yuta slowly followed him. The two were silent for awhile.

"So, do you have dreams, Treecko?" Yuta finally asked.

Treecko stopped walking and then looked up. He put his hand to his chin and thought for a moment before nodding. "Treecko!"

Yuta didn't quite understand, but he nodded nonetheless. "My dream is to become the strongest trainer in all of Hoenn. I want to be the champion."

Treecko nodded.

"I think, if I'm a strong trainer... If I can make a career from Pokémon battling… I'd make them all proud."

Treecko continued walking, and Yuta wasn't sure what to say next. He just watched his little Pokémon walk forward.

"I think we can do it. I know what you're capable of, and I'm sure we'll become a really strong team."

Treecko smiled and gave him a thumbs up.

"Let's do this, Treecko."

* * *

**Present Day**

"I told you I was ready," Logan said with a smile.

Yuta nodded as he pulled out his last Poké Ball. "No. You're not. Go, Sceptile!"

Sceptile emerged onto the field and he let out his battle cry. He glared at Dusclops and then looked back at Yuta.

Yuta looked down at his bracelet. _Dusclops knows Ice Beam. I shouldn't risk such a disadvantage with two Pokémon left to defeat. Patience is rewarding._

_I know that he's capable of Mega Evolution, and if there's a Mega Evolution for Swampert and Blaziken, then there's bound to be one for Sceptile. But why isn't he doing it? _Logan thought. "No matter. We'll fight!"

"Sceptile, get in close with X-Scissor!"

Sceptile cried out as he ran forward. The leaves on his arms elongated and began to glow a dark green.

"Fight back with Fire Punch!"

As Sceptile sliced, Dusclops' hands were set aflame. He swung, but Sceptile was too quick. He easily dodged around Dusclops' attack before slashing upwards. Dusclops was knocked into the air.

"Now Leaf Blade!"

"Falling Thunder Punch!"

As Sceptile's dark green energy changed colors, Dusclops moved his body. The two swung their attacks, clashing in the middle of the air. They paused for a moment before Sceptile overpowered Dusclops, and the two crashed into the ground. When the smoke cleared, the referee gave his signal.

"Dusclops is unable to battle! Sceptile wins!"

Logan looked to the screen as his Dusclops' picture was blacked out. He then returned Dusclops and smiled. "This has been fun, Yuta. Your Sceptile has clearly become strong."

Yuta nodded. "We worked really hard to get this far."

Logan motioned to his side where Mightyena was standing. Mightyena nodded and then ran out onto the field as his picture appeared on the screen.

"Isn't this interesting, Logan?" Yuta asked as he looked out onto the battlefield at both of the Pokémon.

"Almost poetic."

"It won't be like last time," Yuta exclaimed. He finally raised his arm into the air, and his bracelet started to glow. The airflow throughout the field came to a stop, and energy started to build around Sceptile. Soon, his entire body was enveloped in an orb of bright energy. It then exploded, and Sceptile had taken a new, bigger form with a longer tail.

"There it is…" Logan muttered.

"Sceptile!" the Pokémon cried out.

"That's Sceptile's Mega Evolution?" Yurie wondered. "It looks so strong…"

Finn nodded. "But why on earth did he wait until now to do it?"

"Sceptile, use X-Scissor!"

"Fight back with Iron Tail!"

The two Pokémon ran across what was left of the field from Metagross' Earthquake. They hopped onto the broken stones, and soon, they met in the middle. Mightyena swung his tail, and Sceptile slashed. The two clashed, but Mightyena was quickly overpowered. His body was spun around by the force of the collision, and he found himself face to face with Sceptile.

"Double Hit!" Yuta yelled.

Both of Sceptile's hands started to glow with arcane energy and he jabbed outwards, hitting Mightyena once in the jaw and then a second time but in the chest. Mightyena flew backwards but landed on his feet.

"Double Hit?" Logan wondered out loud. "Alright, let's get in close! Use Ice Fang!"

"Dodge it!" Yuta yelled.

Ice crystals formed at Mightyena's mouth, and his breath became visible. He ran forward with his maw unhinged, but Sceptile was quick, repeatedly avoiding his attack while running backwards. Eventually, Sceptile used his massive legs to jump back far enough to create distance. Mightyena stopped running, and the two glared at one another.

_Grass-types are weak to Ice-type attacks, but he looked especially frightened by the idea of Ice Fang. That on top of the fact that he used a Dragon-type attack. I wonder if Sceptile gains a second typing when he Mega Evolves. I don't know everything about Mega Evolution, but I guess that could be a possibility._ Logan thought. His eyes caught Yuta's, and for one moment, it looked like Yuta was worried. "Got ya."

"We have to keep him back!" Yuta yelled. "Leaf Storm!"

"Dig!"

Sceptile whipped up green energy that took the form of hundreds of leaves. Using his powers, he released them across the field, and they surrounded Mightyena completely. When they faded away and the attack stopped, Mightyena was missing. Only a hole in the ground remained.

"No…" Yuta muttered. "Focus."

Sceptile closed his eyes and started to focus. When the ground near him started to rumble, he flipped around.

"Leaf Blade!"

Mightyena exploded from the field, but Sceptile was fast enough to duck under his icy fangs. He swiped upwards, knocking Mightyena back.

"Follow up with Dual Chop!"

Sceptile shot across the field and raised his arcane covered claws. With one, he jabbed directly into Mightyena's side, and just as he was about to lunge out for his second attack, the Dark-type turned, crunching down his ice covered fang on Sceptile's other claw. The Grass-type howled as the ice began to creep up his arm all the way to his shoulder.

"X-Scissor!" Yuta yelled.

Dark green energy surrounded Sceptile's free arm, filling his leaves with power. He swung his arm around, slashing Mightyena directly. The Dark-type whined as he was knocked away, and both Pokémon glared at one another.

_Just as I thought. Ice Fang did a lot to Sceptile. One more of those and this victory is ours._ Logan thought.

_Mightyena is damaged, and if we can hit him with only one full powered X-Scissor, then I'm sure this will be over._ Yuta thought.

"Alright. Go!" they both yelled in unison.

"Ice Fang!"

"X-Scissor!"

The ice on Sceptile's arm exploded as the dark green energy surged through his body. He growled as the leaves on his wrists extended into what could only be compared to a scythe. Mightyena howled into the air, and his entire maw was encased in ice. The two Pokémon ran forward, and upon their collision, smoke was sent into the air from the pure energy that they exuded. When it faded away, both Pokémon stood still.

"Mightyena…"

"Sceptile…"

The crowd went silent as Mightyena fell to one knee. He looked at Sceptile with only one eye opened and his teeth gritted. Sceptile looked down at him with a blank stare before his eyes closed and he fell backwards. The multi-colored energy from before exploded off of his body, and he returned to his original form.

The referee raised his flag. "Sceptile is unable to battle! Mightyena and Logan are the victors!"

Logan ran out onto the field as fast as he could with his boot and met with Mightyena. He cheered as he gave his Pokémon a hug.

"We did it! We did it!" he yelled out. "I'm so proud of you!"

With the red light of his Poké Ball, Yuta returned Sceptile and looked up into the sky. He bit the inside of his cheek and then smiled even though he had lost. "Logan." He paused. "That was fun. Thank you." But Logan couldn't hear him.

"Trainers! The matches are set for tomorrow!" the announcer's voice boomed through the stadium. Everyone turned their attention to the screen. "We'll be seeing a rematch from last year's Manalo Conference when Logan Stephenson takes on Luna Devons! And then it'll be Itou Kenta from Kanto taking on the Kalosian Aimee Charpentier! For the first time in many years, no matter who wins, it'll be someone from outside of Hoenn! Things have definitely gotten interesting!"

Logan stood up and looked at the screen. His face was positioned right next to Luna's. "Alright. This is what I've spent the last year preparing for. I'm ready."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

It's about time that we got here… except… not just yet.

Next chapter will be a small breather chapter. I'm going to try to summarize all of Logan and Luna's two year journey into one little chapter. It'll be very jumpy, but it'll fill in some things, I think. We'll get to see what their relationship was like before this.

Here we go!


	67. Logan and Luna - Best Friends Forever

**AUTHOR'S NOTES: **

**I don't generally do author's notes before chapters, but I think it's a bit necessary for this one. This chapter is a bit experimental, because I wanted to write for Logan and Luna's journeys in Unova and Alola, but I was really aiming to hit the key points. Because of this, this chapter jumps around A LOT. But it's all linear timewise.**

**I hope that I wrote it effectively enough to where people don't get confused, but we'll see! It's all mostly dialogue, so...**

* * *

**Chapter 67 - Logan and Luna - Best Friends Forever**

* * *

**Unova**

"I did it!" Luna, a girl the age of 10, yelled. She had short black hair and a blue one piece that fell to her knees. She ran out onto the battlefield and hugged her Tepig tightly. "We won our first badge!"

"Congratulations, Luna," Cilan said as he approached her, holding a tray delicately in his hand. He lowered the tray to reveal a tri-colored gym badge. "You've earned this!"

Luna took the badge and held it high. "I can't believe we did it! I've been dreaming about this moment my whole life!" She turned to Logan. "We did it! We did it!"

Logan grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "I didn't doubt you for one second!"

"Now it's your turn!"

* * *

"Tepig, use Flame Charge!" Logan ordered. He wore a white t-shirt with a black Poké Ball design on it and black, baggy pants with white trim. His dark brown hair was a shaggy mess, and his face was currently plastered with sweat from the heat of battle.

The Fire-type stamped his feet, and sparks started to form. He dashed forward as his entire body was engulfed in flames.

"Panpour, dodge!" Cress commanded.

The Water-type jumped over Tepig and landed behind him. He grinned, and Tepig's face was filled with sudden terror.

"Water Gun!"

Water burst from Panpour's mouth, and it connected directly. Tepig was flung into the air and crashed against the wall.

"No!" Logan yelled. He ran to his Pokémon and crouched over. "Tepig…" He couldn't believe it. It was his first ever gym battle. It was something that he thought about for so many years, and somehow, he lost.

"Tepig is unable to battle. Panpour and Cress are the winners!" the referee declared. The customers who silently ate at their tables all glanced over at Logan and clapped quietly.

"It looks like you need a bit more work," Cress said. He ran his fingers through his long blue hair. "C'mon back after you've trained for a bit! We're open seven days a week!"

* * *

"You can't stop us!" a grunt wearing what appeared to be medieval cosplay yelled. "Timburr, use Low Kick!"

"Purrloin, Fury Swipes!" the other grunt commanded.

"Ember!" both Luna and Logan ordered in unison.

All of the Pokémon used their attacks, but it was the long-ranged fire attacks that won out. Timburr and Purrloin both collapsed to the ground, and looks of horror came over the grunts' faces.

"We did it!" Logan said. He and Luna high-fived while the grunts returned their Pokémon and ran away.

The two Tepig danced happily together before one of them suddenly stopped, seemingly freezing in place.

"What's happening?" Luna asked while her Tepig started to glow white.

"I think he's evolving!" Logan exclaimed.

Tepig started to shift and grow. His body morphed as the white energy surged through him. The white energy suddenly exploded from his body, and a new Pokémon stood in Tepig's place.

"It's fantastic!" Luna yelled.

Logan pulled his Pokédex from his back pocket and scanned the new creature. "Pignite, the Fire Pig Pokémon. Whatever it eats becomes fuel for the flame in its stomach. When it is angered, the intensity of the flame increases," it chimed.

"I have a Pignite!" Luna ran out and grabbed her Pokémon. "My Pokémon is so strong!"

Logan looked down at his Tepig. Tepig glanced back up at his trainer and then looked down in shame. Logan leaned over and pet Tepig on the head. "No, buddy! We'll get there! We just gotta keep doing our best! And you know what, even if you never evolve, I'll always love you!"

"Yeah!" Luna said. "It's not your time yet, Tepig! But you're also super strong!"

Tepig smiled. He looked at his brother and marveled at his newfound strength.

* * *

"Tepig, one more Ember!" Logan ordered.

His Pokémon jumped into the air and released the flames downwards. They pelted into the small black and red Pokémon. It collapsed and Logan took his chance, something that he had been waiting years to do.

"Go, Poké Ball!" Logan yelled out while he dramatically through his Poké Ball into the air. It connected with the small Pokémon and absorbed it within the bright white light. The ball rocked back and forth for multiple seconds while the trainers and their Pokémon held their breath. And then, it let out its soft _ding_.

Logan grinned from ear to ear. "Y-yes! I did it! I caught my first Pokémon!" He ran onto the small field and picked up Tepig in one arm and his Poké Ball with his free hand. He danced around joyfully, waving around Tepig in a wild manner.

Luna smiled. "And something as rare as a Zorua is quite the first catch."

* * *

"Pignite, use Heat Crash!" Luna called desperately.

"Zebstrika, Wild Charge!"

Luna's round and chubby Pokémon became entirely engulfed in flames as he leapt high into the air. Fire exploded from his body, and he started to flip as he descended towards the ground. Zebstrika responded by collecting electric energy and surrounding himself with it. He charged forward, and the Pokémon crashed into one another, sending smoke into the air. When the smoke cleared, only Pignite remained standing.

The referee held up her flag. "Zebstrika cannot continue! The winners are Pignite and Luna!"

"Yes!" Luna yelled out. "That's badge number four!" She held out her hand, four of her fingers extended in a dramatic fashion.

"Pignite!" the Pokémon howled. His body started to glow as he flexed his muscles, and he was soon covered in a pure white light. His body grew almost double in size, and when the glow faded away, a new Pokémon stood flexing in front of Luna. He roared loudly as his body surged with power.

"You evolved, Pignite!" Luna exclaimed happily.

Logan looked down at his Tepig and smiled. "Your brother is extraordinary."

Tepig looked downtrodden.

"But don't worry. I think you're even more extraordinary. You're excellent, Tepig," Logan said as he smiled and nudged Tepig playfully.

Tepig smiled and looked out as his twin roared fire into the air.

* * *

The two trainers sat at the edge of the theme park. Their various Pokémon played in the grass with one another while the trainers enjoyed cotton candy.

"I had an idea," Luna said while she stuffed pink fuzz into her mouth. "What if we traded?"

"Traded? I love my Tepig though. Even if he doesn't evolve, I'm sure we'll become the strongest team in Unova."

"Not Tepig and Emboar," Luna said with a laugh. "I was thinking your Petilil for my Emolga."

Logan was taken aback and he paused for a moment before answering. "Why? Seems like an odd trade."

Luna watched as Emolga tried to lift Tepig into the air. "I think Emolga likes your Pokémon. And Petilil is adorable, so I'd love if she was on my team. Also, if we trade Pokémon, then we'll always have something that will remind each other of… well each other. When I see Petilil, I'll know that she came from my best friend and vice-versa."

Logan laughed. "But if we're always traveling together, there's no need. I get what you're saying though. I'd love for Emolga to join my team."

Luna nodded. "Then it's settled."

* * *

"You've become quite the trainer, Logan," a chubby man in a cowboy hat said from across the battlefield. "You make us all here real proud."

Logan didn't respond. He looked out onto the field, attempting to form a strategy. His Tepig was heavily damaged from the battle before, and Clay's Excadrill was no pushover.

"But I won't take it easy on you because your my best friend's son!" Clay declared. "Excadrill, finish this with Slash!"

"Tepig, give it all you got! Hit Excadrill with your strongest Flamethrower!"

Excadrill and Tepig charged at one another. Tepig took in a deep breath and then released flames across the field. The flames washed over Excadrill completely, but somehow, someway, the Ground-type survived. He appeared from the flames and slashed his large claws downwards. Tepig instinctively lifted his arms and caught the sharp claws in his hooves. The two were in a stalemate, glaring intensely at one another.

"C'mon, Tepig," Luna mumbled. "You can do it!"

"Tepig, close-ranged Flamethrower!"

Tepig howled, and his body became engulfed in a white glow. He and Excadrill remained standing with their claws intertwined, but Tepig grew in size. Soon, the white faded away, and Tepig had turned into Pignite.

"Yes!" Logan yelled.

Pignite opened his mouth and unleashed flames directly into Excadrill's face, sending the Steel-type backwards. He crashed into the ground and was unable to make the effort to stand back up.

The referee raised his flags. "This battle is over!"

* * *

Luna, Logan, and Clay all stood outside of the Driftveil City Pokémon Center. Clay was bent over and breathing heavily and Luna and Logan had shocked expressions on their faces. They had never seen a man that big run that fast before.

"I'm-so-glad-you-haven't left-yet," Clay managed to huff out. "Oh geez!"

"What's wrong?" Logan asked.

Clay stood back up straight and held out his hand. "Nothing is-wrong. I just gave some-thought to it, and I want-you-to take this." He revealed a Poké Ball with slightly faded paint and hinges with rust on them. "It's your-father's Excadrill. I think he'd love if you took him on your journey."

Logan slowly grabbed the Poké Ball and then examined it. It was probably all in his head, but he believed he could feel his father's journey within the ball. "I don't know what to say…"

Clay laughed. "Don't say anything! Just take it! Excadrill may be old, but he can still fight."

Logan smiled. "Thank you…"

* * *

"Logan!" Luna yelled as the ancient building around her collapsed. "Logan, where are you?"

A sudden roar filled the skies and lightning cracked against the ground nearby. A giant black figure appeared overhead and landed directly in front of Luna, shaking the tower. It roared loudly at her and opened its mouth, forming electricity around its maw.

"No!" Logan screamed. He ran out in front of Luna and held open his arms. "Zekrom, stop! We're not your enemies!" His Pignite ran to his side and copied his defensive pose.

Zekrom appeared confused, and his attack slowly faded away.

"Logan…" Luna whimpered. She collapsed to her knees.

"Zekrom, let's go," a voice called. Everyone turned to find the boy with long green hair. "Now's not the time for us to fight. Team Plasma will retreat for now."

Logan backed up and turned to Luna as the boy with green hair got on top of Zekrom. The Dragon-type let out a roar before jumping into the air and flying away.

It was soon quiet in the old building, and Logan fell to his knees. Sweat raced down his brow, and he tried to hold back his tears. "You-you okay?" he asked Luna.

She nodded. "How about you?"

"It was scary…" He looked around. "They really did a number to Dragon Spiral Tower..."

"Wherever they go next, we'll be there."

* * *

"Samurott, Razor Shell!" the boy with dirty blonde hair, Aaron, ordered.

"Serperior, use Leaf Storm!" Mao, a girl with a silk red dress and pitch black hair shouted.

"Emboar, try your Fire Blast!" Luna commanded.

The three Pokémon all jumped forward and used their attacks, easily cutting through Team Plasma's Pokémon. The three trainers looked at one another and smiled.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Logan was alone and face to face with the boy with long green hair.

"You've truly shown me that you're passionate about Pokémon. I think that you can understand them like I do," the boy said. "But let's put that to the test."

From the air, Zekrom let out its roar. It came down to the ground, shaking the entire forest with its presence.

Logan took a step back, but his Pokémon stood strong, taking a few steps forward.

"Guys…" he mumbled.

Pignite shook his head and then stomped his feet. Zorua, Emolga, Excadrill, Fraxure, and Seismitoad followed. They all glared at the giant dragon that stood before them.

Logan nervously laughed. "Alright then. Let's do this!"

The four Pokémon charged forward as Zekrom charged his attack.

"Bolt Strike!" the boy with long green hair ordered.

Zekrom took into the air and then unleashed a ball of blue electricity towards the ground. It exploded on contact, sending all six of Logan's Pokémon back. Pignite immediately stood back up and growled, ignoring the pain from the attack. His body started to glow white. He shifted and grew, and soon, Logan's Pignite had finally become Emboar.

"Yes! I knew you had it in you!" Logan yelled. "Let's go! Use Fire Blast! Zorua, Dark Pulse! Emolga, Thunderbolt! Excadrill, Focus Blast! Fraxure, Dragon Breath! And Seismitoad, use Hydro Pump! Go!"

"One more Bolt Strike!"

The Pokémon all unleashed their attacks, and what followed as an explosion that would change White Forest permanently.

* * *

"Emboar, use Arm Thrust!" Luna ordered.

Her Pokémon, tired from the battle previous howled. He ran forward and swung his arms at his opponent.

"Samurott, Razor Shell!" Aaron commanded.

His Pokémon ducked under Emboar's attack. He pulled a sword-like shell from the sheath on his leg and filled it with aquatic energy. With a singular swipe, he sent Emboar stumbling backwards.

"Now, finish with Hydro Pump!"

Samurott opened his mouth and blasted a giant stream of water. The water crashed into Emboar, sending the Fire-type to the ground.

"Emboar is no longer able to battle!" the referee declared. "Samurott wins, which means that Aaron takes the victory!"

"What a way to end the quarter-finals! A hot battle between two hometown friends ends with Aaron picking up the win!" the announcer yelled into the microphone.

Luna returned her Pokémon and walked to the hallway with her head down. Logan waited for her, and as soon as he could, he gave her a tight embrace.

"You did great!" he said.

Luna buried her face into Logan's shoulder. "But not great enough!"

Logan held Luna by the shoulders. "But you did your best, and that's all that matters!"

* * *

Luna reached into the small cooler that she brought with her and pulled out an orange popsicle with two sticks on either side. She gripped one end and handed it over to Logan. He grabbed it and pulled hard, snapping the popsicle in half.

"Cheers," they said while tapping the two popsicles together.

Logan licked his and laughed. "It's so good! I love this weather! Not too hot! Not too cold! Unova summers are the best!"

"Logan…"

"What?"

"Do you want to keep traveling together?"

"Yeah!" he said with a smile. "We pinky promised!"

Luna nodded. "I think we should leave some of our Pokémon here with Juniper when we go. It can be like a fresh start. I was thinking that I'd bring along Krookodile."

"In that case, I'll bring Zorua with me. I'm sure the others would like a little bit of a break."

Luna smiled and sucked on the popsicle. "How does Alola sound?"

"Alola? That sounds like a blast!"

* * *

**Alola**

"It's so hot," Logan muttered as he looked up into the sky. "Why is it so hot?" The two had just gotten off of the plane, and the heat from Alola was the first thing they noticed. The others around them seemed unaffected, and they quickly walked towards their destinations.

Luna nodded and she wiped her sweat away with her towel. "Maybe Alola wasn't a great idea after all."

They looked at each other and laughed.

"You two must be Luna and Logan!" a voice called.

The two turned around to find a man with tan skin and a long grey mullet He wore a button up shirt with floral print on it and khaki shorts.

"My name is Professor Oak!"

* * *

"Zorua, use Dark Pulse!" Logan ordered.

Zorua leapt into the air and formed a ball of dark energy in front of his mouth. He unleashed it forward, and it exploded in front of the small yellow Pokémon.

"Now, go Poké Ball!"

The ball connected with the Pokémon, absorbing it completely. It fell to the ground and rocked back and forth before letting out its signature _ding_. The Pokémon had been caught.

Logan jumped up and down. "Yes!" He ran to the Poké Ball and held it tightly in his hand. "Pichu will make a great addition to my team!"

Luna smiled. "Now I have to find something to add to mine!"

* * *

"Well, this is maybe breaking the rules, because you're not from Alola, but you're both technically the age where we give out Pokémon here. I guess we've made the exception before though. So, have your pick," Professor Kukui, a professor with no shirt but instead a lab coat said. He motioned to the three Pokémon that sat behind him on the stage.

Luna looked at the Pokémon closely. "Alola's starter Pokémon are so cute!"

The blue Pokémon blew a bubble with her nose. It popped, surprising the young Pokémon, and Luna squealed with happiness.

"Well, it looks like you've made your choice," Logan said. Luna nodded and then pet the small Pokémon. Logan locked his eyes on feline Pokémon with black and red fur. "I had so much fun raising Tepig into a strong Fire-type, and I like the idea of raising Litten. I'll go with you, buddy."

The Pokémon purred as Logan lightly stroked his ears.

"Litten can be mischievous, but I'm sure you'll have fun," Kukui said.

* * *

Logan stood on the cliff with his small brown and grey Pokémon, and the two struck poses in synchronization. It was night time and the air had cooled down, the city had become quiet, and the waves of the ocean had relaxed.

"You look ridiculous," Luna said with a laugh. She sat on the grass with her now evolved Brionne.

"All of this ridiculousness will be worth it when we can do this!" Logan struck his final pose, but nothing happened. "This!" he yelled out again while doing the pose one more time. Logan let out a sigh when nothing came of his efforts. "Maybe Rockruff and I aren't on the same level just yet…"

Luna stood up and walked to Logan's side. Brionne followed. "Let's try altogether. I think you have to truly be passionate about all of the moves. Don't just do them for the sake of doing a strong attack."

"It's hard to be passionate about dancing when there's no music."

Luna laughed. "There's music everywhere, Logan. Listen to the waves crash. Listen to the wind flow through the trees and grass."

"I like the off rhyme you have going," Logan said with a sly grin. He closed his eyes and listened. "There's rhythm in everything if you really think about it."

He slowly moved his arms back to their original position. Rockruff followed and took his pose. The two moved together, and the energy in the area shifted.

* * *

"Here they come! It's our two finalists, Logan and Luna!" an announcer's voice boomed from the distance. Logan and Luna, who were riding on their own separate Mantine, could barely hear him.

"We have one more trick!" Luna exclaimed.

"We'll make it count! We're taking home the gold!" Logan said with a grin.

"Not if I have anything to say about it!"

The two shifted their bodies, sending both of the Mantine into the air. They both did various flips, and the crowd cheered with every turn.

"Over-the-Gyarados!" the two yelled out together.

Their Mantine both attempted the moves, flipping in perfect unison, and upon completion, they both posed. Logan landed flat on the surface of the ocean, and the crowd let out a cheer.

"Logan lands a perfect Over-the-Gyarados!" the announcer screamed.

Everyone turned their attention to Luna who was performing her final flip, but when it was time to land, Luna's Mantine mistimed it, and both of them were swallowed under the water. The crowd collectively gasped with worry.

"Luna!" Logan yelled out.

Luna and Mantine quickly resurfaced, and they were okay. Logan let out a sigh of relief, and he turned his Mantine around to meet them. The duo slowly returned back to the beach. Luna tried to hide her embarrassment while Logan tried to hide his excitement. When the two made it to the shore, they were met by the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you our winner of the 42nd Annual Mantine Surfing Competition, Logan Stephenson!"

"I did it!" Logan said while holding up the small trophy. He looked at Luna who huffed and avoided his gaze.

* * *

"This last move will do it," Logan muttered. He looked across the battlefield at his friend.

Luna nodded. "I'm sorry, Logan, but I have to win no matter what!" she declared. "Emboar, use Flare Blitz!"

"Lycanroc, finish with Stone Edge!"

As Lycanroc charged his energy and pulled the jagged stones from the ground, Emboar shot forward. Lycanroc unleashed the stones into the air and they raced towards Emboar, but the Fire-type was too strong. He broke through all of the stones and then towered over Lycanroc. With one last lunge, he tackled into Lycanroc, tossing the Rock-type backwards. Lycanroc crashed into the wall behind Logan and then slumped to the ground.

"Lycanroc is unable to battle! Emboar wins! The victory goes to Luna Devons!"

Logan stared at his Pokémon in shock before running over to him and holding him in his arms. "I'm sorry, Lycanroc… I'm sorry…"

Luna returned Emboar to her Poké Ball and then sighed. Without saying anything, she turned and went back to the hallway.

"It looks like our finals are set! It's going to be Luna Devons from Unova taking on Alola's Clayton Iosua!"

It all became a blur to Logan as he turned around to face the crowd. His picture was erased from the board and the reality that he would not be moving on slowly set in.

_Semi-finals again._

* * *

**Present Day**

The day of battling had finished, and the matches for the next day were set. As soon as the ceremony ended, Logan found Yuta in the mess of people. The two immediately left the crowd and found a field where they could relax and watch the sunset. They sat down and were silent for awhile.

"How do you feel?" Logan asked. "I know that it can all be a rush, but losing is never fun."

Yuta looked towards the orange sky. "I'm okay. This is only a stepping stone. Even the strongest trainers lose sometime."

Logan laughed. "I didn't think that you'd be this positive."

"Thank you, Logan."

"Thank you? For what?"

Yuta pulled his knees to his chest and smiled. "Everything. Today's battle was a dream come true. Next time, I won't lose. I promise you that. But also, thank you for taking care of Yurie."

"Huh?"

"Yeah. She was pretty helpless a year ago, and now she's not half-bad. It makes me proud to know that my classmate is strong. So, thank you... for everything."

Logan nodded and then smiled at his youngest rival. "No problem! Do you know what your next move is?"

"I'm going to stay and finish watching the Ever Grande Conference. I can't miss your match tomorrow. And then, I'm off to Kanto."

"My match tomorrow..."

"Good luck."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

So, there was a very odd summary of Logan's two years. I originally wrote in a portion where Logan and Cyan interact, but it kind of spoiled aspects of Cyan's story, so I had to cut it. Nonetheless, I hope that you enjoyed this. If I were to write these two years in a more extended format, I'd make sure that it wasn't only dialogue.

Next chapter, Logan vs. Luna.


	68. Healing in Hoenn

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 68 - Healing in Hoenn - Part 1 Logan vs. Luna**

* * *

"And here we are in the first semi-finals match of the tournament! The winner of this round will of course move onto the finals, but what's special about this match in particular is that it's a rematch between old friends!" the announcer yelled into the microphone. "Last year in the Alola Conference, Luna picked up the win against Logan, and she'll be looking to do that again this time. But has Logan prepared enough to come around and win? Trainers, prepare to battle!"

"What do you think Logan's chances are?" Yurie asked.

Finn smiled. "I don't think that we should worry! There's a reason that he's got this far!"

"But don't get too comfortable," Yuta said. "Statistically, Luna is a stronger trainer. She won her gym badges faster, and when it comes to recorded battles between these two, Luna is 1-0."

"I'm hoping that you're battling with your head today, Logan," Luna said.

"I considered it," Logan retorted.

"The following battle will be a full six on six single battle between Logan Stephenson from Unova and Luna Devons from Unova. A winner will be decided when one side has lost all six of their Pokémon, and we will go into a fifteen minute intermission once one side has lost three. We will start the battle on the water field! Ready? Begin!"

The two trainers tossed their Poké Balls into the air. A small and green Pokémon appeared in front of Luna, and Vigoroth materialized on Logan's side of the field. The green Pokémon looked past Vigoroth and out towards Logan. Even though it appeared hesitant, it lowered its head and took its battle position.

"So, she starts off with Lilligant. That's cold," Finn said.

"Why?" Yurie asked.

"Lilligant was originally Logan's Pokémon, but they traded. And now, Lilligant is one of Luna's strongest Pokémon," Finn explained.

"Mind games," Yuta said.

Vigoroth looked back at Logan. She didn't have her history with Luna, but she could feel that Logan's energy was different today, and she let out her battle cry. She was going to bring her best.

"You can't honestly think that Vigoroth will be strong enough?" Luna wondered.

"I'll battle with my head, but I'm also going to battle with my heart. I'm gonna beat you with the team that I've created here in Hoenn," Logan said. _Which means no Z-Moves unfortunately._

"Then so be it. Petal Blizzard!"

Lilligant swung her body around, letting her grass skirt flow with the wind. Leaves fell from her body and then whipped up into a flurry. They raced across the field, blowing over the ponds of water, making a ripple effect.

"You can break through it! Use Crush Claw!" Logan ordered.

Vigoroth howled and then ran forward. The claw on her left arm lit up with white energy, and with one quick strike, she blasted through the storm of leaves. She continued her motion and darted forward.

"Quiver Dance!"

Suddenly, Lilligant disappeared, leaving an afterimage in her place. Vigoroth swiped at the afterimage, slicing straight through. She appeared confused as more afterimages appeared on the field.

"Now's our chance for one more Petal Blizzard!"

The afterimages all danced around, creating multiple bunches of leaves. They all pointed at Vigoroth and sent the flurry towards her. She swiped at one of the attacks, but it wasn't real, and then she was pelted in the back. Vigoroth fell forward but quickly recovered. She looked around, trying to determine which one was the real one.

"Sunny Day!" Luna yelled.

All of the remaining afterimages lifted their arms into the air, sending an orb of light into the air. The field was illuminated, and it became hotter in the stadium.

"Not good…" Logan muttered.

"Solar Beam!"

Logan winced. "If that's how it's going to be, then use Thunderbolt!"

As all of the Lilligant raised their arms into the air to prepare for their attack, Vigoroth unleashed sparks from her body all across the field. The sparks connected with two afterimages, erasing them. But the real Lilligant was okay, and she soon released a beam of solar energy from her arms, connecting with Vigoroth directly.

Vigoroth flew back and landed in one of the pools of water. She floated to the top and then swam to the edge, lifting herself out with one arm.

"Maybe you're Pokémon aren't half bad. Maybe it's just you that's a poor trainer," Luna said.

Logan glared and then clenched his fist. _Now that I think about it, I have a move that would have tracked the real Lilligant and made that entire process easier. I need to focus. I need to pull myself together._

"Maybe you should just forfeit."

"No! Use Crush Claw!"

Vigoroth howled once more as her claw started to glow. She shot across the field and prepared to swipe at Lilligant.

"Quiver Dance!"

Once again, Lilligant disappeared, creating multiple copies of herself around the field.

"Aerial Ace!" Logan called.

"What?!"

Vigoroth focused her energy into her claw and then jumped forward. Her claw directed the way, and she smashed into the real Lilligant, knocking her backwards and erasing all of the other clones.

"Now finish this with Crush Claw!"

Vigoroth jumped into the air and then swung her arm downwards, smashing it into Lilligant. The Grass-type fell backwards into a slump, and the referee raised his flag. Logan sighed and looked towards the ground, not wanting to see his former partner in such a condition.

"Lilligant is unable to battle! Vigoroth is the winner!"

Luna returned Lilligant to her Poké Ball. "I can't believe I lost the first round…"

Vigoroth howled and danced around. She raised her arms into the air and let out a screech that surprised the whole stadium. Her body then started to glow white. It shifted and changed as the energy lit up the field even more, and soon, Vigoroth had taken a new form: a form faintly familiar to Logan.

"Is that… a Slaking?" Logan wondered.

The new Pokémon, now calmer than she had ever been, yawned.

"Vigoroth evolves into Slaking?!" Logan screamed. "How did I not know that?!"

"You idiot!" Himawari yelled from the stands.

Luna smiled and pulled out her Poké Ball. "I remember fighting a Slaking when I took on Senri's gym. I only needed one Pokémon to get the job done." With that, she tossed her next Poké Ball into the air, and a large, brown and pink bear Pokémon appeared. It stood still as it looked across the field at Slaking. The Pokémon was cute in appearance, which was spurious, because Logan understood Bewear's true nature

"Bewear…" Logan mumbled.

"This is going to be interesting," Finn said. The others turned to him. "Bewear's ability is fluffy, which means that he takes half damage from attacks that make contact. Not only that, but Bewear is already a powerhouse."

Yuta smiled. "But a Pokémon like Slaking is no pushover."

"Show 'em your fighting spirit!" Logan yelled.

Slaking raised her hand and gave Logan a thumbs up.

"Oh boy…"

"Bewear, start with Superpower!"

"Slaking, use Aerial Ace!"

Bewear shot forward as his body started to glow red, and to everyone's surprise, Slaking stood up. She stuck out one arm and then ran ahead. The two Pokémon collided with one another, and they both stood their ground, trying to push the other away.

"Brutal Swing!" Luna yelled.

Bewear reached out and grabbed ahold of Slaking by the arms. She started to spin around, lifting Slaking into the air and taking her for a ride. She eventually let go of Slaking, sending her flying. She landed into one of the pools, making most of the water explode into the air. The water was immediately evaporated by the heat of Lilligant's previous Sunny Day. Slaking, slowly but surely, pulled herself out of the pool and back onto land.

"You okay, Slaking?" Logan asked. His Pokémon nodded. "Great!"

"I'm surprised it's still standing," Luna exclaimed. "Double-Edge!"

"Focus Punch!"

As Bewear ran forward, white energy emitting from his body, Slaking lifted her arm into the air. She patiently waited as Bewear stomped against the ground, shaking the entire field with every step. And whenever he was within striking distance, Slaking swung her arm. She punched Bewear directly in the face, sending him flying back. Bewear landed hard against the wall and slowly slid down, but he was still okay to continue.

_Slaking has to cool down now, which is dangerous, but it comes with her power._ Logan thought.

"Now's our chance, Bewear. Use Superpower once more!"

Bewear roared, and the veil of red energy surrounded his body. He started to move forward once again, and with Slaking immobile, he landed a direct hit. Slaking flew backwards, landing on her head, but as soon as she was able to, she stood straight up. The two Pokémon glared at one another, patiently waiting for their trainers' orders.

"Double-Edge!"

"Thunderbolt!"

As Bewear ran forward, Slaking unleashed electricity from her body. The electricity zapped Bewear, but he was hardly phased. He continued running forward, ramming his large body into Slaking. The Normal-type flew backwards and landed hard, shaking the field. She didn't try to get back up this time, and her arms fell limp.

"Slaking is unable to battle! Bewear wins!"

_I was hoping that we could at least paralyze Bewear._ Logan thought as he looked up at the screen. It didn't update to Slaking, so Vigoroth's face was blacked out. He pulled his Premier Ball from his belt, and the harsh sunlight finally faded away.

"Still think it's a good idea to use your Hoenn Pokémon?" Luna asked. "I imagine that Slaking is as good as it gets, but it unfortunately failed you."

"I have faith in my Pokémon," Logan said. "Go, Manectric!"

Luna glared as the Pokémon appeared. "I feel like you're insulting me."

"Manectric, use Thunder! Bring down the house!"

The stadium shook, and Manectric growled. He unleashed electricity into the clouds, and they responded by sending a giant bolt of lightning back onto the field, connecting with Bewear directly. The Pokémon cried out, but when the attack stopped, he stood back up straight.

"Rock Slide!" Luna commanded.

"Get in close with Thunder Fang!"

Bewear used his massive energy to toss dozens of stones into the air. As they crashed down onto the earth, Manectric weaved through them. He jumped up and clamped his electrified jaws onto Bewear's arm. The larger Pokémon yelled out as he tried to wave Manectric off of him.

"Brutal Swing!" Luna yelled.

Bewear slammed Manectric down onto the ground before lifting him back up and then spinning around. Eventually, Manectric loosened his grip, and he was tossed far away. He rolled on the ground, trying to find his footing, but he was too dizzy.

"Finish him with Double-Edge!"

Bewear howled as he ran forward as fast as he could, shaking the stage with every step.

"Keep him back with Flamethrower!" Logan ordered.

As Bewear barrelled down the field, Manectric opened his mouth and then unleashed a steady stream of flames from his mouth. Bewear ran straight into the fire, but he did not falter, easily running through the flames.

"Get out of the way!" Logan yelled.

Manectric stopped his attack, and moments before Bewear could crash into him, he leapt into the air.

"Falling Thunder!"

The clouds rumbled once again, and lightning came crashing down onto Manectric as he howled. He twisted his body and then shot downwards at Bewear. The two Pokémon collided with one another, and Bewear tried to back up a few feet, but Logan already had his next move prepared.

"Wild Charge!"

"Fight back with Double-Edge!"

Using the electricity that he had gathered before, Manectric became completely engulfed in energy. He then bounded forward before Bewear could start moving again. He tackled into the behemoth of a Pokémon, making Bewear fall backwards. Manectric quickly retreated and watched as sparks emitted from Bewear's body.

"Got it!" Logan exclaimed.

"Don't give up yet!" Luna yelled. "Superpower!"

Fighting through the status ailment, Bewear lifted his arms into the air and screeched. The red energy came over his body, and then he started to run forward again.

"Unreal," Logan muttered. "He can't take much more, Manectric! Give him another Thunder!"

As Bewear charged forward, Manectric unleashed lightning from the sky. The lightning came down onto Bewear seconds before he reached Manectric, stopping him in his tracks. The two Pokémon stared at one another, an expression of horror painted on Manectric's face.

"Did he win?" Himawari asked.

Luna smiled. "Brutal Swing!"

Bewear groaned as he reached out, grabbing ahold of Manectric by the scruff. He lifted Manectric in the air and then started to swing him around. Manectric, worn out from the previous attacks, was tossed around like a ragdoll, and eventually, Bewear threw him to the side. Manectric crashed into the ground, and his body fell limp.

"Manectric is unable to battle! Bewear is the winner!"

Logan returned Manectric and sighed. "You did great. Bewear is no easy challenge."

"I hope you have more to offer," Luna said. "You know that Bewear isn't my only strong Pokémon."

Logan nodded. "I'm aware." He pulled his next Poké Ball out. "But we're not afraid. Dusclops, go!"

Luna examined the Pokémon. "You know that my Bewear has Brutal Swing, but yet you still bring in a Ghost-type?"

"No more talking. Dusclops, use Ice Beam!"

"Brutal Swing!"

Bewear started to slowly run forward as Dusclops waved his arms around. He unleashed a beam of ice at Bewear, freezing the Pokémon's hands to his sides. For the first time in the battle, Bewear appeared distraught.

"Finish with Fire Punch!" Logan ordered.

One of Dusclops' fists was set ablaze, and then he darted forward. He lifted his fist and then swung upwards, punching Bewear directly in the jaw. The two Pokémon stood still for a moment before Bewear fell straight back, landing on the ground.

"Bewear is unable to battle! Dusclops is the winner!" the referee declared.

Luna withdrew her Pokémon and then glared. "Alright. Not bad. I wasn't expecting Dusclops to move that quickly. But we're not losing. Muk, go!"

A pile of multi-colored sludge appeared on the field. It moved slightly, revealing a set of eyes and what looked liked to be rottened teeth. It groaned as it saw its opponent before smiling.

Logan thought for a moment before returning Dusclops back to his Poké Ball. "No chances. I know how strong your Muk is. I'll choose to fight fire with fire." Logan turned to Mightyena. "You're up, buddy!"

Mightyena nodded and then ran onto the field. He was refreshed from his battle with Sceptile the day previous, and he appeared incredibly energetic.

"Muk, start with Flamethrower!"

"Mightyena, let's get in close! Fire Fang!"

"Fire Fang?" Yurie wondered.

Finn nodded. "Felt that he needed to keep things fresh and taught Mightyena it last night."

Muk opened his wide mouth and released flames upon the field as Mightyena ran forward. He ducked and weaved through the flames before jumping into the air and coming down onto Muk. He clamped his flaming jaws on the Poison-type, making Muk howl in pain.

"Mega Drain!"

Muk reached out with one of his goopy arms and grabbed ahold of Mightyena. He held the Pokémon into the air and started to suck out his energy.

"Mightyena! Get out of there! Use Crunch!"

As Mightyena yelped from the pain, he unhinged his maw, forming black energy in front of him. He quickly snapped his body forward, clamping the energy down onto Muk's entire body and allowing himself to escape.

"Use your own Crunch!" Luna yelled.

"Dig!"

As Muk slowly formed his own darkened energy in front of his face, Mightyena dove into the ground and disappeared. The Poison-type appeared confused, and before Luna could give her order, Mightyena appeared from behind Muk, his fangs on fire once more. He bit down, and Muk struggled before he was able to toss him off.

"We've got him on the ropes!" Logan exclaimed.

"Keep up your Crunch!"

Before Mightyena could retreat completely, Muk finished the attack that he had prepared before. He lunged forward, crunching his black energy down onto Mightyena. The Dark-type howled before he jumped backwards, and suddenly, his body started to glow with a purple tint.

"No…"

"Poisoned!" Luna exclaimed. "Let's keep up the pain! Use Sludge Bomb!"

"Block it with Iron Tail!"

Muk pulled a ball of purple sludge from his body before he tossed it into the air. But Mightyena's counter was perfect. He leapt into the while his tail glowed with silver energy. With one quick twist of his body, he was able to destroy the purple goo completely. Once he landed on the ground, he winced as the poison from before seeped slowly through his body.

"Flamethrower!" Logan yelled.

"Dig!"

As the flames raced across the stage, Mightyena retreated into the ground. This time, he came up directly from under Muk, sending the Poison-type into the air. Muk appeared distraught, as aerial combat was not his forte.

"Crunch!" Luna commanded.

"Give him something to bite with Iron Tail!"

Mightyena easily shifted his body and swung his tail around as Muk once more formed the dark energy. The energy clamped down onto Mightyena's tail, and unexpectedly, it was Mightyena that took the damage. Muk maniacally laughed as he started to fling around Mightyena with his massive jaws. Once the two finally reached the ground, Muk tossed Mightyena backwards. He flew into one of the small pools, but he slowly recovered and pulled himself out. He winced as the poison flowed through his body once again.

_Mightyena has one more attack. I have to make whatever happens here count, but unfortunately, it looks like I have to give Luna the first half._ Logan thought. "Mightyena, put it all into this final attack! Use your strongest Fire Fang!"

"Sludge Bomb!"

Mightyena ran forward as flames exploded from his mouth. He roared and the flames increased in power, shooting all the way across the stadium. Meanwhile, Muk formed one more ball of sludge from his body before tossing it forward. Mightyena took the attack directly, but fought through the pain and ran forward. Once he reached Muk, he let out one more howl before biting down as hard as he could. Muk yelled out and then lifted Mightyena into the air. With one strong heave, he tossed the Dark-type back. Mightyena collapsed to the ground unconscious.

The referee raised his flags. "Mightyena is unable to battle! Muk wins! Logan has now lost three Pokémon, so we will take a fifteen minute break!"

Logan sighed and then ran out onto the field. He grabbed ahold of Mightyena and smiled. "You kept them on the ropes. Let's let the others do the rest, okay?" He lifted Mightyena's Poké Ball. "I know you don't like being a Poké Ball, but get some sleep."

Mightyena slowly nodded before he was withdrawn into the Poké Ball by the red light.

Logan and Luna both returned to the room in the back. The two other trainers were watching the replays, but it was a much more quiet vibe than previously. Luna and Logan sat down on separate sides of the room, and Logan pulled out his three remaining Poké Balls.

"We can do this. I know we can."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Next chapter will see the conclusion to this battle. Any predictions?


	69. Luna's Stance! Battle for the Finals!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 69 - Luna's Stance! Battle for the Finals! - Part 2 Logan vs. Luna**

* * *

**One Year Ago**

"I'm sorry, Luna," Professor Juniper said. "He's gone."

"What do you mean gone?" Luna asked. Her eyes began to redden and puff as tears started to make their way. "We were supposed to meet this morning at the docks!"

Juniper sighed. "All of his Pokémon are here, but Logan is gone. He didn't tell me either. From what I understand, he got on a boat early this morning and left."

"Do you know where?"

Juniper thought for a moment. She did, but Logan's letter specifically asked her not to say anything. "I don't."

"Why? Why would he just leave?" Luna said as her body slowly coiled to the ground. She sat on the laboratory floor and pulled her knees to her chest. "We were supposed to travel the world together."

Juniper sighed. "Luna… Logan isn't the best at communicating his feelings. You and I both know this, but maybe this is for the best. Maybe you two should travel separately for awhile. You'll never know what kind of trainer you can truly be if you consistently play it safe. I know that he would never tell you this, but when he lost to you, it hurt his pride. It hurt him a lot. You both are so competitive. Imagine how you'd feel if he beat you instead. Give him some space and some time. You never know what the future holds."

Luna didn't respond.

* * *

**Present Day**

The fifteen minute break was quickly up, and the two were called back to the field. It had changed to a regular grass terrain, and the crowd cheered as the two entered into the stadium. The two of them were considered Ace Trainers, and since they were from a foreign land, they were seen as attractive. But both trainers were focused on the battle rather than their increasing popularity.

"Begin!" the referee yelled.

"Muk, you're back on!" Luna shouted while she threw her Poké Ball onto the field. Muk appeared, his body jiggling as he let out a battle cry.

Logan thought for a moment before drawing out his Fast Ball. "Flygon, let's go!" From the light of the Poké Ball, Flygon exploded into the air. She roared and then landed on the ground before glaring out at Muk.

"Most of Flygon's attacks are at a distance, so Logan is trying to avoid the poison," Himawari noted. "And Flygon is no pushover."

"Muk, use Flamethrower!"

"Flygon, try Fire Blast!"

The two Pokémon unleashed flames onto the field, and the attacks clashed in the middle, causing an explosion of fire and smoke.

"Dive in!" Logan ordered.

Flygon cried out before jumping into the smoke and disappearing completely.

"It's coming! Prepare your Crunch!"

Muk nodded as he formed dark energy in front of his massive mouth. He waited for Flygon to appear, but nothing happened.

"What?" Luna wondered.

"Earthquake!"

Flygon shot from the smoke and into the air. She quickly spiraled downwards and then stomped her massive legs against the ground, shaking the entire stadium. Muk's little bit of dark energy dissipated, and his body wobbled with the motion. He let out a screech as the pain of the attack set in.

"Now one more Fire Blast!"

As though Flygon knew what Logan was preparing to do, she released her flames without hesitation. They full enveloped Muk's body, and he let out a screech like no other. When the flames finally faded away, Muk shrunk into the ground unconscious.

"Muk is unable to battle! Flygon wins!" the referee declared.

Luna returned her Alolan Muk to her Poké Ball and then sighed.

* * *

**Three Years Ago**

The four trainers from Nuvema Town had graduated. The boy with the dirty blonde hair celebrated with grandmother. The girl whose parents were from Unova and Hoenn was given the award for top grades. She was stuck spending time with her family who forced her to take pictures in her sash. The boy with dark brown hair was being scolded by his aunt Juniper for making inappropriate faces during the ceremony.

But the girl with raven hair. She sat alone. The music, something that she usually took joy in, had started to fade away into nothing but noise. The people at the small gathering seemingly ignored her for the other three. She stared aimlessly past all of them. Her brother was competing in the Vertress Conference the same night, and that was a more important affair for them to attend to. She felt tears welling up.

"Hey!" a voice called, breaking her trance. She looked up, finding the boy with dark brown hair.

"Juniper and I are going to get some pizza," he said. "My parents didn't come either, so we're in the same boat!"

"What?"

"What what? Pizza? Or same boat?"

The girl blushed and looked down. "Sorry. I'm a little bit out of it. Pizza sounds great."

"That's what I like to hear!"

* * *

**Present Day**

"I'll admit, I wasn't expecting that kind of power from Flygon." She pulled her next Poké Ball from the strap on her bag. "But my next Pokémon won't lose." She threw the ball into the air and a large but thin blue Pokémon with long flowing hair appeared on the field. She winked at Logan.

"Primarina…" Logan muttered. _This won't be easy. _He lifted his Poké Ball and then returned Flygon. "As much as I like the idea of Flygon vs. Primarina, I'd be a fool to continue that battle. Instead, I'll go with Dusclops!"

Dusclops materialized on the field, and he waved his arms around slowly while looking out at Primarina.

"It looks like Luna has Logan's number. He's had to do a few tactical retreats," Himawari muttered.

Yuta grinned. "I actually think that Logan has this one in the bag."

The group looked at him in shock.

"I did a lot of studying these two, because, well, I idolized them. And so far, Luna has only used Pokémon that she used in Unova and Alola. Logan has stuck to his guns, and he's using his Hoenn team," Yuta explained. "Luna's Pokémon are without a doubt stronger, but Logan is unpredictable and he probably knows Luna's team like the back of his hand."

Finn shrugged. "But Luna's a good trainer, and she's prepared for the unpredictable."

Yuta chuckled. "Coming from you, that's funny. Logan knows Luna's team, and he's prepared for them. Just watch."

"Ice Beam!" the two trainers ordered.

Both of the Pokémon released a beam of ice from their mouths. The attacks connected with each other above the middle of the stage, and they started to collect together, forming a giant block of ice in the air.

"Shadow Punch!"

"Iron Tail!"

The two Pokémon stopped their attacks and then shot towards the ice as it started to fall from the sky. Instead of attacking one another, they instead used their attacks on the block of ice. They waited for a moment before the ice shattered and exploded in front of them.

"Now Thunder Punch!"

"Keep your Iron Tail going!"

With Dusclop's other fist, he formed electricity. He swung his fist, connecting directly with Primarina's tail. The two held out for awhile before Dusclop's fist gave in, and he was forced to back up.

"Close-ranged Sparkling Aria!"

The airborne Primarina twisted her body around as she started to sing. A bubble of aquatic energy formed above her nose and then she flung it downwards. It exploded into multiple bubbles, and they rained down onto Dusclops.

"You okay?!" Logan yelled out.

Dusclops backed away a few more feet as he tried to prevent the bubbles from pelting against him.

"Now Moon Blast!"

Primarina finally hit the ground and she raised her arms into the air. A ball of pink energy shot into the sky before a thick beam of light emerged from it.

"Counter with Ice Beam!"

Dusclops attempted to release another beam of chilling ice from his body, but it was quickly overtaken by Primarina's stronger attack. The pink energy came down onto Dusclops, and he let out a cry of pain. When the attack stopped, he fell to one knee.

"Dusclops…" Logan muttered.

"You know that you can't take my Primarina head on like that, Logan," Luna snapped. "One more Sparkling Aria!"

Primarina repeated her motion from before and created the bubble. It exploded and rained down again, but Dusclops had enough time to counter this time around.

"Thunder Punch!"

Both of Dusclops' fists were electrified, and he began to swing wildly. As he destroyed each and every one of the bubbles, he slowly walked forward. Primarina was preoccupied with attempting to control her bubbles, so she did not take notice, and when Dusclops was within range, he swung upwards, knocking Primarina into the air.

"And an Ice Beam for good measure!" Logan ordered.

The electricity disappeared from Dusclops' hands before he formed the ball of ice energy and released a light blue colored beam into the sky. The beam connected with Primarina directly, and she screeched from the pain before she collided with the ground. Her body rolled a few times before she recovered and found her footing. The peaceful look in her eyes was gone, and she glared at Dusclops. Static electricity emitted from her body, but she didn't appear too concerned with it.

_Paralyzed, but she still stands strong._ Logan thought.

Luna raised her hand into the air, and a look of worry came over Logan's face. The crystal in her bracelet started to glow, and Luna closed her eyes as she and Primarina struck poses in unison.

"A Z-Move?!" Himawari exclaimed.

The energy from her Z-Crystal raced through the field, and Primarina howled.

"Oceanic Operetta!"

Primarina stood up straight and raised her arms into the air. As she chanted and started to sing, a giant ball of water was formed. It was about ten times bigger than the bubble formed by Sparkling Aria, and when it reached its limit, the crowd went silent. With that, the bubble exploded, and it started to rain heavily down onto the field.

"Dusclops! Rapid fire Thunder Punch!"

Dusclops readied his attack and started to jab upwards. Like before, he destroyed some of the bubbles that came towards him, but he was eventually overwhelmed. Dusclops was pelted by a massive amount of bubbles, and when the attack finished, he was laid out flat on the ground.

The referee nodded before raising his flag. "Dusclops is unable to battle! Primarina wins!"

The crowd cheered for Luna as Logan returned his Pokémon. He looked out and took note of Primarina. Her regularly neat hair was frazzled and her body sparked with electricity. He pulled out his Fast Ball one more time. Flygon entered the field and let out her battlecry.

"Start with Moon Blast!"

"Earthquake!"

Primarina slowly lifted her arms into the air as she charged pink energy into a ball. But as soon as Flygon smashed her thick legs into the ground and shook the stadium, Primarina was forced to stop.

"Now Boomburst!"

Flygon bounded forward and started to flap her wings vigorously when she got in front of the Water-type. Primarina was shot back by the sheerforce of the sound energy, and she rolled across the ground. She let out a cry of pain as she forced herself back up.

"Ice Beam!" Luna yelled.

Primarina fought through the static and then unleashed a beam of ice into the air. Flygon was fast though, and she weaved around, narrowly avoiding it.

"Fire Blast!" Logan ordered.

Flygon released her big blast of fire, putting Primarina's beam to a stop. The attacks exploded once they connected with each other, and it filled the stadium with smoke. Slowly, the shade of the clouds darkened the arena as the smoke faded away.

"Finish with Boomburst!"

"Don't let him! Sparkling Aria!"

Primarina tried to lift her arms into the air to form her next attack, but the paralysis condition was too much. Flygon swooped in with her sound based attack and sent Primarina soaring. She collided with the wall and then fell to the ground, her body not moving a single muscle.

"Primarina is unable to battle! Flygon wins!"

"Paralysis really helped Logan there," Finn said. "Now they're tied."

* * *

**Five Years Prior**

It was seemingly a regular day at the Nuvema Town Pokémon Academy. The dozens of children packed in and then went to their classes that were divided by age groups. Luna, Mao, and Aaron all entered into the classrooms, immediately taking notice of something that was out of place: a fourth desk. They all took their seats at their usual desks and waited for their teacher, who was never late.

"Class," their teacher's voice called. "Today we have a new student."

The three turned towards the door and watched as a boy shyly peeked his head around the corner. His hair was a messy dark brown, and he had light blue eyes that could pierce through the dark. He slowly entered into the classroom and looked around, attempting to avoid the gaze of his new classmates.

"Everyone, please introduce yourselves to make him feel welcome."

Aaron immediately stood up from his desk and put his hand to his chest. "My name is Aaron! I'm the best looking student in Nuvema Town!"

Mao laughed as she slowly stood up and then pushed in her chair. She bowed her head and then said softly, "I'm Mao. My English isn't very good, but let's be friends."

_Her English is fine._ The new kid thought.

Luna was the last to stand up. She was shaky, hating the idea of meeting a new student. She looked up and caught his gaze. They both immediately looked away, their faces red as apples.

"My-my name is Luna. Nice to meet you."

The teacher looked down to the new kid. "And now it's your turn."

The new kid stepped forward in front of the teacher and stood up straight. He put his lips together and suddenly shifted his face into a wide grin. He posed, holding two peace signs at his cheeks. "I'm Logan! I like mud!"

* * *

**Present Day**

The clouds started to rumble as though they knew what kind of battle was set to follow. Slowly, rain started to fall from the sky, but it wasn't strong enough for most of the crowd to notice.

Luna withdrew her Pokémon and then looked out at Logan. She smiled. "Your Hoenn Pokémon aren't half bad. I'm honestly surprised. I guess you're not a bad trainer afterall." She drew out her next Poké Ball. "But this is far from over! Go, Krookodile!"

A large and brown Pokémon appeared on the field. He opened up his long mouth and roared while thunder rumbled, shaking the stadium.

"Let's go! Use Sludge Bomb!" Luna commanded.

Inside of Krookodile's large jaws, he regurgitated a ball of purple sludge.

"Fire Blast!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks, and upon connecting, they exploded.

"Fire Fang!"

Krookodile howled as he jumped into the smoke. He quickly emerged and locked his massive jaws down onto Flygon. Flames exploded from his mouth, engulfing the Dragon-type.

"Blast him away! Dragon Rush!"

Flygon screeched and then started to flap her wings, sending energy from her body. The energy exploded off of her, forcing Krookodile to loosen his grip. She flew away, getting decent enough distance.

"Now, Dragon Rush!"

Luna smiled.

Flygon's body was surrounded by arcane fire before she charged towards the ground. Krookodile held out his arms, and the two collided. Krookodile was forced back, but he gripped onto Flygon, and the two were caught in a test of strength.

"Outrage!" Luna commanded.

"Get out of there!"

Flygon tried to release her grip and then fly back into the air, but Krookodile's strength was too much. He held tightly onto Flygon's arms as his eyes started to glow red and a thin veil of energy surrounded his body. He released one of Flygon's arms before pulling her closer. With a roar, he clotheslined Flygon directly in the throat. Flygon's body flipped, and Krookodile finally released his grip. He turned and grabbed ahold of Flygon by the tail before swinging her above his head. With one swift motion, he slammed her against the ground, and the arcane energy exploded off of her body. When the smoke cleared, the referee nodded.

"Flygon is unable to battle! Krookodile is the winner!"

"There's still a lot more battle to go," Yuta said calmly.

Yurie put her hands together and she looked out onto the field. Suddenly, her focus was broken by a droplet of rain pelting her nose. She looked up into the air, and noticed as the rain started to fall a little bit heavier. It was at this point that some people in the crowd started to pull out their umbrellas.

Logan returned Flygon and then smiled. He observed the rain and the crowd as some of them started to use their umbrellas.

"Didn't check the forecast today, Logan?" Luna asked.

Logan shook his head. "Never have. Never will. Maybe this is just dumb luck." He pulled his final Poké Ball from his belt. "But I'll take it. Go, Swampert!"

Swampert materialized onto the field, and he danced around. He watched as he waved his arms and Krookodile's expression turned angry. Swampert grinned and then continued to dance.

"Beautiful," Himawari muttered. "Might as well have fun."

Logan raised his arm into the air, and the crowd went silent. They knew what was coming. The stone in his bracelet began to glow, and Swampert's body was filled with energy. An orb of light formed around his body, and when it dissipated, Swampert's new form was revealed. He smashed his arms into the ground and roared, but his grin never faded.

"Krookodile, use Earthquake!" Luna commanded.

The ground started to shake after Krookodile stomped as hard as he could, but it seemingly didn't affect Swampert. He laughed and then yawned, as though the attack was rocking him to sleep.

"Waterfall!"

Swampert clapped his hands together and water formed around his arms. He then ran forward at an incredible speed as the rain pelted against his skin.

"Outrage!" Luna yelled.

The arcane energy flowed through Krookodile once more, and he charged. The two Pokémon met with one another in the middle of the field, but Swampert easily ducked. He then uppercutted Krookodile in his large jaw, making the Pokémon stumble backwards. Krookodile, now dazed from the powerful arcane energy, attempted to swing his tail around, but completely missed.

"Try a Fire Fang!"

Krookodile roared as flames exploded from his mouth. He dove and crunched down, but instead of attacking Swampert, he smashed his face into the ground.

"No!" Luna yelled.

"One more Waterfall!" Logan ordered.

Swampert twisted his body around, the aquatic energy wrapping itself around his arms, and he swung for Krookodile.

"Outrage!"

The arcane fire exploded off of Krookodile's body. He stopped Swampert's attack with one of his arms and then with his other, he grabbed Swampert by the throat. He lifted Swampert into the air and then slammed him into the ground. The water dissipated from Swampert's arms as he took the bump.

"Direct Earthquake!"

Krookodile lifted his leg and held it over Swampert's body. He charged his energy and prepared to stomp.

"Ice Beam!"

As Krookodile moved forward, Swampert unleashed a beam of ice from his mouth. The beam connected with Krookodile's midsection, stopping his attack completely. Krookodile was flung into the air, and he crashed down onto the field. His body went limp as his tongue fell out of his large mouth.

The referee raised his flags. "Krookodile is unable to battle! Swampert wins!"

The crowd cheered, and Luna returned her Pokémon. Krookodile's face was blacked out, and it was down to one Pokémon each.

* * *

**The Day Prior**

Luna sat in the grass with her Pokémon. Emboar was by her side with his eyes closed. He wasn't napping, but rather enjoying the momentary peace.

"Tomorrow, Emboar. We're fighting with Logan."

"Emboar..."

"If you don't want to battle him, I won't force you to. I understand that you may have reservations about it. If Logan is smart, he'll be using your brother. I don't want to make you uncomfortable by forcing you into that battle."

Emboar opened his eyes, and he used his massive arms to help him stand up. He walked further into the field and looked to the sky. Without warning, he roared, sending a stream of flames upwards.

Luna smiled. "Then I guess it's decided."

* * *

**Present Day**

"Luna," Logan said. She looked up at him, and to her surprise, he was smiling, but it appeared that there were tears forming in his eyes. "I want you to know that leaving was one of the hardest things I ever did. I wasn't comfortable with going out on my own. I wasn't even sure if I was going to keep battling. I didn't know where I was going or what I was doing. But ultimately, I think I did what's best for both of us. You've become a much stronger trainer, and I think I've grown a lot over the past year. You'll always be my best friend, and I'll always support you. If I lose today, I'm glad that it's against you."

Luna's lip trembled, and she grabbed her last Poké Ball. "Me too." With that, she released Emboar onto the field.

Finn sat back and sighed. "Alright. Here we go."

"What?" Himawari wondered.

"Logan's Emboar is really strong. You saw that before, but Luna's Emboar is on an entirely different level," Yuta explained.

Finn nodded. "The champion of Alola said that Emboar was a champion level Pokémon. Emboar could go toe to toe with a legendary Pokémon if it wanted to."

"Sugoi…" Yurie muttered. "But Swampert is really strong! Go Swampert!"

"Why isn't she going with mega Blaziken though?" Himawari asked.

Yuta sat forward. "I've studied Logan and Luna and their battle styles for two years. Luna is a master of battle psychology."

"Yeah. There are two reasons why she's not using Blaziken. One reason is that Logan knows that she has Blaziken. She used Blaziken in my battle to show off her newfound power. She wanted Logan to know what she is capable of. And then, by not using Blaziken, it's as if she's telling Logan that she doesn't need mega evolution to win," Finn explained.

"And the second reason?" Yurie asked.

"The team she has used today is the exact same team she used to beat Logan in Alola. They have an additional year of experience, but still. She's taunting Logan. This is his test to see if he's truly grown and improved. It could psyche him out. There's also the small but important detail that all six members of Luna's team are stronger than her Blaziken. Even if you account for Blaziken's mega evolution, it pales in comparison," Yuta said.

The rain was now coming down hard, but it instantly evaporated as it hit Emboar. The heat of his body was enough to make the rain feel like nothing. Swampert relished in it, and he smiled at his intimidating opponent.

"Stone Edge," Luna ordered calmly.

"Waterfall!"

Emboar roared, and the stage shook. He lifted five large stones from the ground and then used his energy to send them across the field. Meanwhile, Swampert formed the aquatic energy around his arms and then destroyed the stones with five swift strikes. He then ran across the field and lowered his arms, preparing for an uppercut.

"Arm Thrust."

Swampert jabbed, but Emboar swiftly moved to the side. He lifted his arms and then thrusted once, knocking Swampert directly in the face. Swampert put up one arm in an effort to defend himself, and Emboar went for it. He punched the aquatic arms directly, making Swampert lower his guard for a second. With that, Emboar jabbed Swampert in the stomach and then once in the face. Swampert stumbled back slightly.

"Keep it going."

Energy filled Emboar's fists as he lunged forward once more.

"Hammer Arm!" Logan yelled.

Swampert built up energy in one of his arms, and he ducked Emboar's first attack. He swung around his body and smashed the entirety of his forearm into Emboar's head. Emboar stumbled slightly, but then jabbed again, hitting Swampert in the chest. Swampert rolled backwards, and Emboar slowly followed him.

"Waterfall!"

Emboar lifted his arms into the air for another strike, but Swampert's ability allowed him to move quick. He put his hands together, and with the help of the rain, he quickly formed the aquatic energy. He moved upwards, connected directly with Emboar's jaw. The Fire-type flew backwards for a few seconds before landing on his legs. He felt at his face and winced.

Himawari stared at the two in shock. "I didn't think I'd see Swampert put into a position like this."

"Battle isn't over yet," Yuta said.

"C'mon, Swampert!" Yurie cheered.

"Use Flare Blitz!" Luna commanded.

"Charge with Waterfall!"

Swampert roared, and he was covered completely in water while Emboar used his energy, setting his entire body on fire. The two rushed at one another and collided, sending both of them sliding backwards.

"Start Solar Beam!"

_If that hits, we're done!_ Logan thought. "Ice Beam!"

Emboar raised his arms into the air and started to focus what energy he could. A few of the clouds parted, letting in light from the sun, and the rain slowly started to fade away. Swampert roared, and he released ice from his mouth. The beam connected with Emboar's feet, freezing them to the ground.

"And now Hammer Arm!"

With only a few droplets of rain left falling from the sky, Swampert zoomed forward. His arm started to glow with a fighting aura, and he swung wide, knocking Emboar in the face. But Emboar barely flinched, and he grinned before letting out a roar. From the heavens, a beam of yellow shot downwards.

"Protect!"

Swampert put his arms in front of his face, and a forcefield of blue energy formed in front of him. The beam connected with the blue shield, but Swampert was still tossed by the sheer force of it. When the beam faded away, so did the shield. Swampert slowly stood back up as Emboar pulled himself from the ice.

"So, you knew I had Solar Beam?" Luna asked.

Logan nodded. "I know that you don't go into battles unprepared."

"I figured there was a reason why you didn't use Protect earlier."

"How about we finish this?" Logan asked.

She nodded. "Sounds good to me. Flare Blitz!"

"Waterfall!"

Once more, the two Pokémon charged at one another as they were covered in the energy of their respective elemental powers. They collided with one another, causing smoke and dirt to fly into the air. When it faded away, both Pokémon were still standing, and their arms were interlocked in a game of power.

"Arm Thrust!"

"Hammer Arm!"

Both Pokémon let go of the other, and then they charged energy in their hands. With one swift strike, they both jabbed, knocking each other in the jaw. They held out and glared, both struggling to maintain the position. After one deep breath, Swampert's arm collapsed, and Emboar began to chuckle to himself.

"No…" Yurie muttered.

But then, Emboar fell forward, his face falling into Swampert's chest. Swampert stepped backwards, allowing his opponent to collapse to the ground. He then raised his arms into the air and let out a battle cry.

"Emboar is unable to battle! Swampert is the winner! The victory goes to Logan Stephenson!"

"What a battle!" the announcer's voice echoed throughout the stadium as the crowd erupted into cheers. "Logan makes a comeback against all the odds, and he will be moving onto the finals!"

"I told you!" Yuta said as he cheered. Yurie was taken aback by the sudden explosive energy from her former classmate.

"I didn't doubt him for one second!" Himawari yelled.

Finn stood up and started to jump up and down. "Only one more battle left!"

Yurie smiled and then she thought about what Finn just said. _Only one more battle left… and then what?_

Luna slowly walked onto the field to Emboar and she knelt down. Logan met with her in the middle, and he bent over so they were at eye level. Both trainers had tears slowly streaming down their cheeks.

"That was quite the battle," Logan said quietly.

Luna nodded, and she smiled through the tears. "It was."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES (a long one):**

Gonna be honest with you, I cried writing this battle. I don't want to get into it too much, but Luna and Logan's friendship/relationship is based off of my relationship with my previous best friend. So, when I wrote this battle and Logan and Luna's history, it was all very real to me.

That person and I played the Unova and Alola games together (Kalos too, but bleh), and I eventually moved to the real-life Hoenn (Kyushu) to "heal" after a particularly bad bout with depression, and since then, our friendship/relationship turned for the worst for various reasons.

Writing 'Healing in Hoenn' was originally a way for me to get my mind off of everything and cope with the loss of my best friend. Writing these past few chapters has been extraordinary for me, and I'm so glad that I finally got to share them with you.


	70. Final Battle! All Or Nothing!

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 70 - Final Battle! All Or Nothing!**

* * *

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!"

"Avalugg, try Protect once more!"

The winged Pokémon flew into the air and released flames from his mouth onto the field while the massive light blue Pokémon focused his energy and tried to create a blue barrier in front of him, but it was to no avail. The barrier shattered as Charizard's flames connected with it, and the Ice-type was swallowed by the flames. When the fire died down, Avalugg collapsed, and the crowd began to loudly cheer.

The referee held up his flag. "Avalugg is unable to battle. Charizard is the winner, which means that the victory goes to!"

A boy, around the age of thirteen, smiled as he raised his Poké Ball and returned Charizard. He wore a white button up top with a red hood and dark blue pants. He tucked his Poké Ball back onto his belt and then turned away to go back to the locker room.

"It looks like we have our final battle set," the announcer yelled into the microphone. "Tomorrow we'll bare witness to Logan Stephenson vs. Itou Kenta! Which trainer will take home the gold? You'll have to watch tomorrow to find out!"

* * *

"So, what do we know about Kenta?" Logan asked.

Finn clicked away on his computer and then sighed. "Well, he started the same year as me and you, he's from Kanto, and his first Pokémon was a Bulbasaur. But…"

"But?"

"Not much else," Finn said with a sad look on his face. "Apparently, Kenta has been an absolute loser up until now."

"What?" Himawari asked in shock. "He's destroyed everyone that he's battled against here."

Finn clicked away on his computer once more and a picture of Kenta pulled up on the screen. "He made it to the Top 32 in the Indigo Plateau, and then he was in the Top 48 in the Silver Conference. He never had a full battle in either conference."

"Maybe he was just unlucky?" Logan suggested.

"Maybe," Finn muttered. "But here, he's been tearing it up. He used the same two Pokémon in all of his double battles, and he's only had to use three Pokémon in his full battles. Because of this, we have limited data on his team. We don't know what six Pokémon he'll use."

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the door. They all turned, and Luna slowly peeked her head through.

"Oh, hey," Logan said. He was surprised to see his old best friend.

"You preparing?" Luna asked. She slowly eased her way into the room.

Logan nodded. "Yeah, but we have very limited information about this guy. I'm not sure what tactic I should take."

Luna looked at Kenta's picture on the computer. "This may come as a surprise, but I'll be rooting for you tomorrow. You better not lose."

Logan grinned and gave Luna a thumbs up. "I won't!"

Luna slowly turned towards the door and lowered her head. "Good luck, Logan."

* * *

"And now it's time for our final battle at the Ever Grande Conference! It has been quite the trip to get here! It can't be understated that every trainer who even made it here would have had to have been extraordinary to win all of those gym badges! But it takes the best of the best to get here to the finals! In the red corner, we have Logan Stephenson from the Unova Region. He's been able to beat old friends and new foes alike to get where he stands today, but he has one more challenge if he wants to win! In the blue corner is Itou Kenta from the Kanto Region! Kenta was sort of an unknown coming into the tournament, but so far he has won every battle that he has been in with ease, and he's now the clear favorite to win! But he shouldn't get ahead of himself just yet, because Logan will be no pushover," the announcer yelled into the microphone. "Everyone, get ready!"

"The following battle will be a six on six full battle to determine the winner of the Ever Grande Conference! There will be a short intermission once one side has lost three battles. The first half will take place on the rock field. Trainers, begin!" the referee announced while holding his flags into the air.

"We're not going to hold back," Kenta said. "Go, Raichu!" His Raichu grinned and ran out onto the field. He struck a fighting pose and waited for Logan's move.

Logan looked down at his Poké Ball and smiled. "You've always started your battles with Raichu, so that's no surprise. I assembled my strongest Pokémon for this fight. Let's put on a show." He tossed the ball into the air and Swampert appeared. He danced around a little bit before noticing Raichu.

"Looks like this won't be easy for me," Kenta said with a laugh.

"It's about to get harder!" Logan exclaimed. He held his arm into the air and the Swampertite began to glow. The crowd cheered as they once more witnessed the act of mega evolution. Energy surged around Swampert's body, and soon he began to grow in size. Swampert expanded and took his new form, which made the crowd awe. He roared at Raichu, but the Electric-type wasn't intimidated.

"Well then. We'll go first!" Kenta said. "Raichu, Quick Attack!"

Raichu exploded forward, and before Logan could make his command, Raichu collided with Swampert, knocking the Pokémon a few feet back.

"While we got 'em close, use Hammer Arm!" Logan ordered.

Swampert's arm started to glow, and he lunged forward. He smashed his arm against Raichu's cheek, making the Electric-type fly back to the other side of the stadium. Raichu stood back up and rubbed his cheek.

"Now, Waterfall!" Logan directed.

Swampert smacked his hands together and water began to form at his hands. He held his hands back and started to charge towards Raichu.

"Grass Knot!" Kenta ordered.

Raichu focused his energy, and suddenly vines burst from the ground. The vines wrapped around Swampert's legs, and the Water-type fell to the ground, making the stadium shake.

"Raichu has one weakness, and that's Ground-type Pokémon. You think we'd come unprepared?" Kenta asked.

_Okay, so running is out of the question. If a Kanto Raichu is anything like the Alolan Raichu, then Grass Knot is going to be the only effective move he can really do on Swampert._ Logan thought.

"Quick Attack!"

Raichu once again dashed forward and collided into Swampert.

"Ice Beam!" Logan instructed.

As Swampert fell back, he shot a beam of ice from his mouth. The beam connected with Raichu's feet, freezing him in place.

"Let's make this count! Use Earthquake!"

Swampert lifted his massive arms into the air and then smashed them into the ground. The entire stage shook, and the ground below Raichu tossed the Electric-type into the air.

"Waterfall!"

Once again, Swampert smacked his hands together and created water. He leapt into the air and drove his hands into Raichu, making him fly even further. Swampert landed back on his legs while Raichu landed back on the ground on his face.

Raichu started to stir, and he eventually stood back up. He glared at Swampert and then started to growl.

"Raichu, return," Kenta said suddenly. His Pokémon turned, and with a frustrated huff, ran back to the trainer's box. "I know when I'm outmatched. Raichu can rest for now." He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt. "Allow me to introduce you to my first Pokémon!" He tossed the ball onto the field and a giant green Pokémon with a flower on its back appeared.

_Venusaur is a Grass-type, so he's got a pretty steep type advantage, but as long as we use Ice Beam and stay far away, we should be safe._ Logan thought.

"Venusaur, use Razor Leaf!"

Venusaur lifted the large leaves on his back and began to rapidly shoot smaller sharpened leaves. They raced across the field, tearing up the terrain below them.

"Protect!" Logan ordered.

Swampert lifted his arms and a shield of blue energy appeared around his body. The leaves bounced off of the shield, and Swampert was left unscathed.

"Ice Beam!"

Once again, Swampert unleashed the light blue beam from his mouth. The beam froze the ground that it blasted above as it shot straight towards Venusaur, making ice stick out from the ground.

"Double-Edge!" Kenta ordered calmly.

Two giant vines emerged from Venusaur's back. He smacked the vines against the ground, which sent him soaring into the air, easily avoiding the ice attack. Then, he came crashing down into Swampert, knocking both Pokémon onto their backs.

"Close ranged Razor Leaf!"

Venusaur used his vines to bring him back to his legs, and he released a frenzy of leaves from his back before Logan could say anything. The leaves sliced into Swampert, forcing him back a few more feet.

"Hammer Harm!" Logan directed.

Swampert fought through the pain and began to swing his arms. He smacked the leaves away and then ran forward. With a giant swing of his fist, he sent Venusaur flying back a few feet.

"Follow up with Ice Beam!"

Swampert released his attack, and Venusaur was quickly encased with ice.

"Venusaur!" Kenta yelled.

"Charge it! Use Waterfall!"

Swampert roared before smacking his arms together, creating his usual aquatic energy. He began to charge towards Venusaur, but then a smile came across Kenta's face.

"Got ya!" Kenta yelled. "Solar Beam!"

The plant on Venusaur's back began to glow, and energy burst from his back. The energy destroyed the ice completely and then connected with Swampert. Swampert's body was flung into the air, and he came crashing down hard, destroying some of the ground that he landed on.

The referee took a close look at Swampert and made his call. "Swampert is unable to battle! Venusaur is the winner!"

"It looks like while Venusaur was using his attacks from before, he was charging up energy from the sun and preparing to use Solar Beam the whole time. Everything else was a distraction," Yuta said while Logan returned Swampert.

"Logan already used Mega Swampert," Himawari said. "That was pretty much his ace."

Luna shook her head. "He's got more." She now sat with the group, but she didn't really feel like she belonged.

"You can do it, Logan!" Yurie yelled.

"You said that Venusaur was your first Pokémon, right? Well, I think it's time that you meet mine!" Logan said while tossing his Poké Ball to the field. Emboar appeared and then roared at Venusaur. He stretched his arms out.

"I'm excited to see what he can do," Kenta said. "Venusaur, use Razor Leaf!"

Venusaur repeated his attack from before.

"Arm Thrust!"

Emboar was quick to use his attack. His arms started to glow white, and he destroyed every leaf that was sent his way by thrust his hands at them.

"Flamethrower!"

Emboar took in a deep breath and then released a steady stream of flames from his mouth.

"Dodge!" Kenta ordered.

By using two of his giant vines, Venusaur continuously moved around the flames. When the flames would get close, he would smack his vines on the ground and fly into the air.

"Earthquake!" Kenta ordered.

While in the air, Venusaur's feet started to glow, and he came crashing down into the ground. The entire stage shook, and the ground below Emboar flung him a few feet into the air.

"Solar Beam!"

Venusaur quickly shifted his body and shot a beam of yellow energy from his flower. The beam connected directly with Emboar, engulfing him completely. When the beam stopped, Emboar was airborne.

Logan looked up and grinned. "Emboar, use Heat Crash!"

A ball of red and yellow energy surrounded Emboar. He then shifted his body downwards, and he quickly fell back to the ground, smashing directly into Venusaur. There was a giant explosion, and smoke and dust filled the air. When the smoke cleared, Emboar stood tall, but Venusaur was left lying on the ground.

"Venusaur is unable to battle! Emboar is the victor!" the referee declared.

Kenta sighed and returned his Pokémon. "You did great."

"So far, both trainers have been playing with smart type advantages. It may come down to who chose their typings correctly," Himawari noted. "This may just come down to luck."

"It seems like they both have a counter for everything," Finn nodded.

"Don't you dare lose, Logan!" Yurie yelled.

Kenta pulled his next Poké Ball out and tossed it into the air. A giant orange dragon with a strong flame on the tip of his tail appeared on the field. He roared and fire burst from his mouth.

"Charizard vs. Emboar," Yuta said. "This will be interesting."

"Charizard, use Air Slash!" Kenta ordered.

Charizard's wings expanded, and then he shot into the air. He twisted his body and dove towards Emboar with his claws glowing white.

"Arm Thrust!"

Emboar's arms started to glow with chakra energy, and the two Pokémon clashed in the middle of the stadium. They tested their strength against each other, pushing back as hard as they could.

"Dragon Pulse!" Kenta yelled.

Charizard sucked in air, and then released a giant ball of blue fire at the ground. It knocked both Pokémon backwards.

"Flamethrower!" the trainers ordered in unison.

Both Pokémon unleashed steady streams of fire at one another. The fire connected in the middle of the battlefield and then exploded, covering most of the stadium with smoke.

"Air Slash!"

Charizard quickly dove into the smoke then searched for Emboar. He slashed at the Fighting-type, flinging him out of the smoke.

"Keep it going!" Kenta yelled.

Charizard continued his attack. He burst through the smoke and then darted directly for Emboar.

"Flamethrower!"

Emboar unleashed his attack, and it engulfed Charizard. Charizard slowed down, but fought through the fire. He lifted his claws to strike once more.

"Arm Thrust!"

Emboar ducked under Charizard's attack. He then uppercutted Charizard, but before the Flying-type could retreat, Emboar gripped him by the tail. He pulled Charizard back, and jabbed once more, landing another strong blow to the face.

"Fight back, Charizard! Thunder Punch!"

Charizard shifted his body and smashed his electrified fist against Emboar's stomach. The Fighting-type let go of his vice grip.

"Charizard, Air Slash!"

Once again, Charizard began slashing at Emboar with white energy. Emboar jumped back, creating a space between the two.

The two Pokémon glared at one another and heaved deeply.

"Nonstop," Yurie said.

Himawari nodded. "They both have Fire-type pride, so this one could get ugly."

"Heat Crash!" Logan ordered.

"Thunder Punch!"

Emboar leapt into the air, and the orb of red and yellow energy formed around him once again. He turned his body towards Charizard and began to fall. Charizard's arm started to spark with electricity, and he jumped into the air. The Pokémon met, and there was one more giant explosion. The Pokémon fell back to the ground and landed hard, but once the smoke cleared, they both slowly stood back up. Emboar's body stuttered, and electric sparks occasionally emitted from his body.

"Oh no!" Himawari yelled.

"Paralysis…" Logan muttered.

"Air Slash!"

"Arm Thrust!"

Once again, Charizard darted forward and began to slash wildly at Emboar. Emboar tried to defend, but he could not move a muscle. He took every attack and fell to his knees. He groaned, but stood back up and roared at Charizard again.

"Emboar! Are you okay?" Logan asked. His Pokémon huffed and then flexed his muscles, although some of the twitching could have been spasms. Logan nodded. "Okay, we're gonna use that attack, buddy."

"Charizard, use Flare Blitz!"

Charizard roared and his body became engulfed in fire. He leapt into the air and started to fly forward.

"Head Smash!" Logan ordered.

Emboar stamped his feet and slowly started to run forward. With time, he picked up speed, and a blue energy encased his body. He jumped into the air, and both of the Pokémon smashed into one another. There was a slight pause and then silence, as though time had stopped. The Pokémon were both flung back, and they landed in a heap in front of their trainers.

The referee looked at the two creatures for a sign of life, but both didn't move a muscle. "Both Pokémon are unable to battle!" the referee declared. "This round is a draw!"

Logan ran out to Emboar and lifted him to the best of his abilities. "You did wonderful, Emboar! Your efforts won't be forgotten!" The Pokémon gave him a weak thumbs up as he was returned to the ball. Logan walked back to his trainers box and looked down at his remaining Poké Balls.

Kenta returned his Charizard and then smiled. "I'm thinking that this may be the best battle that I have had here in Hoenn. I've only trained with these Pokémon for the three years that I've been training, so they don't get challenges quite like this anymore."

"Kenta hasn't lost more than three Pokémon in any of his battles. The fact that Logan was able to knock down two so early is a really good sign," Finn said.

"You can do it, Logan!" Yurie yelled.

"Gengar, it's up to you!" Kenta yelled while tossing his Poké Ball onto the battlefield. A large purple Pokémon appeared. It snickered at Logan.

"Alright, in that case, I'll go with Raichu!" Logan said as he released his Pokémon. The Alolan Pokémon floated on his tail to his side of the field. He grinned widely at Gengar, showing off his wicked teeth.

"I see," Luna said.

"What?" Himawari asked.

Luna grinned. "Just watch."

"I don't know much about Alolan Pokémon, but I do know that Alolan Pikachu is half Psychic-type. You've made your first mistake, Logan," Kenta said.

"Do your worst!" Logan yelled.

"Gengar, Shadow Ball!"

Gengar floated into the air and formed a ball of black energy in her hands. She tossed it towards Raichu.

"Dodge! Let's get in close!" Logan ordered.

Raichu ducked under the ball, and then started to air surf quickly towards Gengar.

"Sludge Bomb!" Kenta directed.

Gengar lifted her arms into the air and a ball of purple sludge formed at the palms of her hands. She lunged the ball directly at Raichu.

"Duck!" Logan yelled.

Raichu lowered her head and narrowly avoided the attack.

"Now, use Dark Pulse!" Logan commanded.

"What?" Kenta asked in surprise.

Raichu formed a ball of dark energy in his hands and then tossed it at Gengar. The attack connected directly, and Gengar fell to the ground. She quickly recovered.

"I wasn't aware that Alolan Raichu could learn Dark Pulse," Kenta said.

"Well, looks like you should read more books!" Logan said with a laugh. Raichu snickered.

"Gengar, use Ice Punch!"

"Dodge, and then use Dark Pulse!"

Gengar's arm started to glow light blue, and she jumped towards Raichu. Raichu floated backwards and then unleashed another ball of darkness at the Ghost-type.

"Another Ice Punch!" Kenta ordered.

"Dark Pulse!"

The two Pokémon used their attacks, but this time Gengar was ready. She avoided Raichu's Dark Energy and then jabbed. She struck Raichu directly in the face, sending the Pokémon onto his backside.

"Got ya!" Kenta yelled.

Raichu slowly stood back up and began to snicker again. He jumped and started to flip rapidly while a red glow engulfed his body. Within seconds, he landed back on the ground, but now it was Zorua that stood where Raichu once was.

"What the?" Yurie wondered out loud.

"It's Zorua's special ability," Luna said. "He can transform into any one of Logan's Pokémon to try to deceive his opponent's. But once he takes a hit, he transforms back into Zorua."

"That's amazing!" Yurie exclaimed.

"It is impressive, but it comes with two major drawbacks," Luna said. "One, Kenta now knows that Logan has a Raichu on his team, and can prepare mentally for it. And two, Zorua isn't exactly Logan's strongest Pokémon."

"I see…" Yurie said quietly. She stood back up. "You can do it, Zorua!"

"I guess you learn something everyday," Kenta said.

"Zorua, we gotta be fast! Aerial Ace!" Logan said.

Zorua jumped into the air and dashed towards Gengar. At the tip of his nose, white energy formed.

"Brick Break!" Kenta yelled.

"Oh no!"

Energy formed at Gengar's arm, and she swung it at Zorua. The two connected, but it was Zorua who flew back.

"Keep on the pressure! Sludge Bomb!"

Gengar lifted her arms into the air once more and formed purple sludge. She tossed it at the ground in front of Zorua. The sludge exploded, and Zorua flew back. He landed hard, but stood back up.

"You okay, Zorua?" Logan asked. His Pokémon nodded.

"Brick Break!" Kenta ordered.

"We gotta keep at a distance! Keep using Dark Pulse!"

Gengar lunged forward with her arm glowing white. Zorua jumped backwards while continuously releasing balls of dark energy at the ground. Gengar was pelted with the energy, but continued running forward. She landed in front of Zora and swung her arm. Zorua began to screech and giant tears poured from his eyes. Gengar stopped her attack and curiously looked at Zorua. Then, the Dark-type stopped crying and grinned. He once more released a dark energy ball at close range, blowing back Gengar.

"Fake Tears?" Kenta wondered. "That Zorua is even more mischievous than Gengar."

"Each person has shown their hands," Yuta said. "Now it's all about who can out maneuver the other."

"Logan has the type advantage," Himawari added.

"But that Gengar has the power and speed advantage," Finn said.

Luna sat back in her chair. "Zorua has one more attack though."

"Ice Punch!" Kenta ordered.

Gengar's arm started to glow light blue as she shrunk into the ground. Her shadow skated across the battlefield and then darted for Zorua. She quickly reappeared, and uppercutted Zora into the air.

"Zorua, now's your chance! Hit 'em with your strongest Night Daze!" Logan yelled.

Zorua's eyes began to glow light blue, and his body became engulfed in a crimson red energy. He came back to the ground and the stage shook. Suddenly, the crimson energy exploded from his body and began to engulf the entirety of the field. Amidst the chaos of the attack, Gengar jumped into the air.

"Brick Break!"

Gengar's arm began to glow, and she came crashing down onto Zorua. There was a small explosion, and Zorua's attack ceased. When the smoke cleared, Gengar stood above the unconscious Zorua as the winner of the bout, but she breathed heavily.

"Zorua is unable to battle! Gengar is the winner! Three of Logan's Pokémon have fainted, so we will now take a short fifteen minute break!" the referee declared.

Logan ran out onto the field and lifted Zorua into his arms. "You did wonderful, buddy! Really took 'em to their limits!"

"Zo…"

Kenta returned Gengar and then walked back to the bench behind his trainer's box. He took a seat and stared out onto the field. Logan walked back to his own bench and sat down. The crowd stirred as some of them went to the concessions and bathrooms. Yurie stood up and ran towards the hallway that lead to Logan's bench. He waved her in, and she ran to his side, taking a seat.

"What is your plan?" she asked.

Logan took in a deep breath. "Finn did research on Kenta last night for me. I knew about Raichu, Venusaur, and Charizard, and I guess I prepared well enough with Zorua. His last two Pokémon, I'm unsure of. He hasn't had to use any of them in the tournament so far."

"Keep the pressure on him! Give 'em the ol' one two, if you know what I mean!" Yurie cheered.

Logan shook his head. "I have no idea what you mean."

"We're all rooting for you! I know that you can win!" Yurie replied with a grin.

Logan grinned. "I'll do my best! I'm gonna make sure that Kenta remembers this battle for the rest of his life!"

_Unfortunately, he already knows about Raichu, so he's probably forming counter strategies in his head. My other two Pokémon will be surprises, but he seems to have a counter for everything that I do. He also still has four of his Pokémon left. This ain't easy._ Logan thought.

"Logan…"

"Yeah?"

"When you win, what kind of food do you want? I'll make anything!"

Logan grinned. "Anything will do!"

"Then anything it is!"

Logan laughed and then looked up into the crowd at his friends. "Yurie, I want you to stay here and cheer me on. Get a close view of the action!" Logan said. She nodded.

* * *

"I got us all hot dogs," Himawari said to the group as he came back from the concessions. "Nothing for Luna though, because she calls me names."

"I didn't want a hot dog anyway!" she snapped.

* * *

"Alright, everyone! It's time to get back to the action!" the announcer yelled.

Logan nodded and gave Yurie a high five. He ran back to his end of the field while Kenta walked to his. The trainers focused on one another.

"This battle will now resume on the grass field!" the referee said while raising his flags into the air.

Kenta threw his Poké Ball onto the field, and Gengar reemerged.

"Alright. In that case, I'll go with Flygon!" Logan said. His Dragon-type emerged from its Fast Ball. She soared into the air and let out her battle cry.

"Another stupid mistake," Luna said.

"Start with Dragon Rush!" Logan ordered.

Flygon's body became engulfed in blue flames. She soared down to the ground, and dashed across the field towards Gengar.

"Ice Punch!" Kenta ordered.

The two Pokémon rapidly approached one another.

"Earthquake!" Logan directed.

Flygon suddenly stopped her movements. She twisted her body and then landed hard on the ground with her legs, making the entire stadium shake. Gengar was thrown into the air, and she stopped her Ice Punch.

"Fire Blast!"

Flygon took in a giant breath before flames exploded from her mouth. The flames collided with Gengar, and the Ghost-type soared through the air. She landed hard back on the ground and then keeled over.

Kenta looked at his Pokémon in surprise. "I...can't...believe it."

Logan sighed. "That could have been close. Don't think that I forgot about Ice Punch, Kenta!"

Kenta returned Gengar. "I'm gonna have to play smart. Meet one of my strongest Pokémon! Go, Blastoise!"

A giant blue Pokémon appeared on Kenta's side of the field. It stretched its four limbs and then glared at Flygon.

"Makes sense that he'd have a Blastoise," Finn said. "This guy is a walking advertisement for the Kanto region."

_Flygon has nothing to counter a Water-type. I still don't know what Kenta's sixth Pokémon is, so the problem is if I should reserve Flygon for the next battle, or if I test out Blastoise's strength here._ Logan thought. Flygon turned to him. She then pointed at Blastoise and let out her battle cry. _Looks like Flygon has made my decision for me._

"Let's fight with all our hearts!" Logan said. "Flygon, use Boomburst!"

Flygon began flapping her wings rapidly, creating soundwaves that shook the entire stadium. Stones and rubble lifted from the battlefield and flew into the air. People lost their hats. Blastoise took the energy of the attack head on, but did not flinch a muscle.

"Cute," Kenta said. "Blizzard!"

Blastoise opened his mouth and a flurry of snow came forth.

"Dodge!" Logan ordered.

Flygon flew into the air and narrowly avoided the snow. She looked down at Blastoise and smiled, but Blastoise kept his stern expression.

_Luckily, Blizzard often misses. However, if it were to hit, that would spell the end of Flygon immediately._ Logan thought.

"Bring her down. Use Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise turned and focused one of his cannons. He grunted and released a powerful stream of water. The water blasted quickly through the air, but Flygon was barely able to dodge it.

"Keep it up!" Kenta yelled.

"Don't stop moving!" Logan directed.

Blastoise pointed his other cannon and began firing water from both of them. Flygon moved as quickly as she could to avoid every attack.

"Dragon Rush!"

Flygon found the sweet spot between the two streams of water. Her body became engulfed in blue flames, and she fell towards the ground, smashing directly into Blastoise, and making the Water-type slide back a few feet. Blastoise grunted.

"Back up, and get into the air!"

"Hydro Pump!"

Flygon flapped her wings and started to take off into the air, but Blastoise was quick. He shot Flygon with his attack, making her crash down into the ground.

"Blizzard!"

Blastoise shifted and opened his mouth again. The stream of snow blasted quickly towards Flygon.

"Boomburst!" Logan yelled.

Flygon once again began to flap her wings rapidly, kicking up stones. The ice attack connected with the stones, and it came to a stop, allowing Flygon to soar back into the air.

"It looks like we've reached a stalemate," Kenta said. "I'm not too keen on showing you my sixth Pokémon, because that admits defeat in itself."

"Well, we can't win by just dodging," Logan replied. "Fire Blast!"

"Hydro Pump!"

The two Pokémon unleashed their attacks, and they clashed in the middle of the air. What followed was an explosion of smoke and dust which Flygon immediately dove into.

"Earthquake!"

Flygon came to the ground hard, and the battlefield began to shake. Blastoise stumbled over a little bit, but was ultimately unphased.

"Dragon Rush!"

"Skull Bash!"

As Flygon's body was engulfed in flames, Blastoise ducked his head and began to charge. The Pokémon crashed into one another, and Blastoise stood strong. Flygon's body was tossed back, but she quickly recovered.

"One more time!" both of the trainers yelled.

The Pokémon repeated their attacks and charged.

"Blizzard!" Kenta commanded seconds before they would have connected.

Blastoise stopped in his tracks and opened his mouth. Flygon tried to stop her attack, but she was too slow, and her body was soon engulfed by the strong snow. She fell to the ground and fainted.

The referee raised his flag. "Flygon is unable to battle! Blastoise is the winner!"

Logan returned his Pokémon and frowned. "You did good, Flygon." He looked at Blastoise who still stood strong. "You've left me almost no choice." He tossed a Poké Ball into the air and his Raichu appeared. He floated happily on his tail.

"I'm guessing this is the real one?" Kenta said with a smile. "I sure hope so."

"Yeah. No more tricks," Logan replied.

"Hydro Pump!" Kenta yelled.

Blastoise pointed his cannon at Raichu. He then blasted another strong stream of water towards Raichu.

"Dodge! Then use Thunder!"

Raichu easily floated around the attack. He then lifted his arms into the air, and a burst of electrical energy exploded from his body. The energy crashed into Blastoise, making the Water-type fall back, seemingly damaging him for the first time in the match.

"Let's get in close now! Use Thunder Punch!"

"Skull Bash!"

The two Pokémon charged at one another. Blastoise rammed his head into Raichu's arm, and he easily overpowered the Electric-type. He headbutted Raichu, making the Pokémon soar into the air, but Raichu easily recovered and then slowly floated back to the ground on his tail. He remained calm the whole way down.

"If we fight up close, we can't win. Raichu, use Psychic!"

"We're in for a treat now," Luna said with a grin.

The entire arena began to shake while Raichu focused his energy. The energy pulled giant stones from the ground and flung them towards Blastoise.

"Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise span in a circle and began to rapidly shoot water from his cannons at the stones, destroying them on impact.

"Thunder!" Logan ordered.

While the stones continued to fall and Blastoise continued to shoot them down, Raichu released another surge of electricity from his body. It once again connected, and Blastoise stopped moving. He stood still and glared at Raichu.

"Amazing! He took two Thunders head on, and he's still standing," Finn said.

Yuta nodded. "You have to commend Blastoise's strength, but I can guarantee he's on his last legs. He just knows not to show it."

"Blastoise, use Flash Cannon!"

Blastoise stuttered a bit before pointing both of his cannons towards Raichu. A silver energy began to form at the edges. He leaned over, and the energy became even bigger. He let out a battle cry and then unleashed a gigantic stream of silver energy that blasted across the field.

"Focus Blast!"

Raichu put his arms together and then formed energy in his palms. He punched the air, shooting the energy back at Blastoise. The two attacks collided, but the energy of Raichu's attack broke through. It connected directly with the Water-type, flinging him back into the wall behind Kenta. Kenta looked back at his Pokémon in surprise.

"Blastoise is unable to battle! Raichu is the winner!"

"And now we're even…" Logan muttered. He looked at Raichu who started breathing heavily.

Kenta returned Blastoise to his Poké Ball and then turned back to face Logan. He remained silent.

"What's on your mind?" Logan asked with a smile.

"We each have two Pokémon left. I don't like to see so many of my Pokémon faint, and I'm contemplating whether or not to try to drag this out much longer or end it as fast as I can," Kenta responded. He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt, but his Raichu pulled on his pant leg, making him stop. Kenta's Raichu pointed at Logan's, and Kenta responded with a nod. Raichu ran onto the field.

_Whatever that final Pokémon is, it's gotta be strong. If possible, Raichu has to make it out of this battle safely._ Logan thought. "Raichu, you ready?" Logan's Raichu nodded.

"It looks like we're gonna have a battle between Raichu!" the announcer yelled. "Don't forget folks, Kenta's Raichu already had an encounter with Logan's Swampert earlier in this battle. But you can bet that Logan's Raichu is also worn out from its battle with Blastoise! It's sure to be a good fight no matter what though!"

"Thunder Punch!" the boys yelled in unison.

The two Pokémon darted across the field, both of their fists lighting up with electric energy. They collided with one another, creating a giant orb of electricity in the middle. It exploded, sending shockwaves throughout the stadium. When the dust cleared, both Pokémon stood strong, still pushing their fists against one another's.

"Thunder!" they both yelled.

Kenta's Raichu jumped back a few feet while Logan's quickly floated backwards. The two unleashed a gigantic surge of electric energy from their bodies, and lighting struck down onto both of them. They glared at one another and began to yell, the energy only getting stronger.

"They're evenly matched when it comes to electric abilities," Yuta said. "They're gonna have to try something new."

"Raichu, use Psychic!" Logan ordered.

"Don't give him the chance! Quick Attack!"

As the Alolan Raichu began to focus his energy, Kenta's Raichu dashed forward. He crashed into Logan's Pokémon, making him fall off of his tail.

"Once more!"

Kenta's Raichu lunged forward again and rammed his body into his Alolan counterpart. Logan's Raichu keeled back and quickly hopped on his tail to try to get away.

"Thunder Punch!" Kenta yelled.

Kenta's Raichu jumped into the air, his fist electrified with energy. He came down and jabbed at the Alolan Raichu, landing a direct hit on the cheek, but Logan's Raichu fought through the pain and scowled at his opponent.

"Focus Blast!"

The Alolan Raichu put his arms together by his side. He started to create a blue energy in his hands, and he unleashed it at close range on Kenta's Raichu. Kenta's Raichu was sent flying back, and he crashed hard into the ground. The referee took a close look at him, but as he started to raise his flag, the Raichu began to move. He stood back up, but his body shook violently.

"We need to finish this soon!" Logan yelled. He raised his hand into the air, revealing a yellow Z-Crystal. It started to glow with energy and Logan began striking poses, increasing the glow and making the air around him shift. Suddenly, the energy flowed through his Raichu, and they both let out a battle cry. "Stoked Sparksurfer!"

The Alolan Raichu began to float into the air, and using his energy, the battlefield started to shake. Lightning crashed against the field and began to fill the terrain with static.

"Grass Knot!" Kenta ordered.

His Raichu ran forward and let out his cry. Roots burst from the ground and wrapped around the Alolan Raichu, forcing him to stop his attack. As though he had been punched in the gut, all of Logan's air was sucked from him, and the energy disappeared.

"Give it the best Thunder you can!" Kenta yelled.

Kenta's Raichu took a moment and breathed deeply. He then unleashed a gigantic surge of electrical energy from the body. The electricity came down on top of the Alolan Pikachu, frying the grass roots immediately. Logan's Raichu fell from his tail and slumped to the ground. He slowly was able to stand back up, and both of the Raichu glared at one another.

"Thunder Punch!" both of the trainers ordered.

The two Pokémon started to slowly walk forward, their arms charged with electricity. They met in the middle of the battlefield and stared each other down. Kenta's Raichu jabbed first, hitting the Alolan Raichu square in the jaw. Logan's Raichu responded with a jab of his own. The two then started to rapidly hit each other one by one. The crowd cheered with each blow. Finally, they collided at the same time with one another, and both stumbled back. They glared once more.

"Raichu, use-" Kenta started, but he suddenly stopped. His Raichu took a step forward and then collapsed to the ground. Logan's Raichu raised his hands into the air and yelled as electricity surged from his body.

"Kenta's Raichu is unable to battle! Logan's Raichu is the winner!" the referee declared.

Kenta ran out onto the battlefield and grabbed his Raichu. He picked him up and carried the Pokémon back to the trainer's box before setting him down and patting him on the head.

"You did great, Raichu. Please take a long rest," he said while handing over a small star-shaped candy. He stood up and then turned to Logan. "Your Raichu is truly incredible. It makes me wonder about the power of Pokémon from other lands." He lifted his final Poké Ball. "Logan, since I've reached the level that I'm at now, no one has pushed me this far. My next Pokémon is yet to make an appearance in the Ever Grande Conference. He is my strongest Pokémon. Once I send him out, this match will be decided."

"Don't count my Pokémon out just yet," Logan said. He looked over at his Raichu who slowly stepped back onto its tail and then floated towards Logan's side of the field. _Raichu doesn't have much, if anything, left in him._

Kenta threw his Poké Ball into the air. A big yellow and white Pokémon with small wings burst forth. It had a round and cute face, but its eyes appeared to be thirsty for a fight as it scowled at Raichu.

"Meet Dragonite," Kenta said. "The strongest Pokémon that you can find in Kanto."

Logan smiled. "You're predictable. You're very strong, but you're predictable."

"That's a relief," Finn said with a heavy sigh. "Last night, when we were discussing potential Pokémon that Kenta could use, we came to the assumption that he either would be using a Dragon-type or a Legendary Pokémon. There had to be a reason why Kenta kept his team a secret like he did."

"And I'm guessing that Logan made his team based on your gamble?" Himawari asked.

Finn nodded. "Logan has a counter for Dragon-types."

"But Dragonite isn't going to be easy even if Logan has a type-advantage," Yuta added.

"I advise that you withdraw your Raichu, Logan. He won't be able to take a single attack from my Dragonite," Kenta said.

Logan looked at Raichu, who turned back. Raichu shook his head and then faced Dragonite and growled. "Raichu chooses to continue, and I have faith in my Pokémon!"

"Then let that be your undoing."

"Raichu, use Thunder!"

Raichu mustered up all of the energy that he could and sent a flurry of electricity flying from his body. The electricity crashed down onto Dragonite, who did not move a muscle. The electric attack stopped, and Dragonite cracked his neck.

"Dragonite, Hyper Beam."

Dragonite's head suddenly jolted upwards, and a small ball of white light formed in front of his mouth. He then released a beam of energy, destroying some of the battlefield. The beam connected with the Alolan Raichu, blasting the Pokémon across the field and into the back wall. Raichu slowly floated to the ground and fainted.

"Raichu is unable to battle! Dragonite is the winner!" the referee said.

The crowd remained silent and in shock while Logan walked to his Pokémon.

"Raichu, you okay?" he asked. Raichu looked up at him weakly. "You did great today. You deserve as much rest as you can get." He returned Raichu to his Poké Ball and then walked back to his trainer's box.

"I hope that you're next Pokémon is truly prepared. I won't lose, Logan," Kenta said. "Don't underestimate Dragonite."

"Oh, I'm not going to underestimate Dragonite. I've actually prepared quite well to take on a Dragon-type." He grabbed his last Poké Ball. "Go, Crabominable!"

His last Pokémon appeared and yelled at Dragonite in an attempt to intimidate it. However, the Dragon-type huffed, and Crabominable scrunched his lips.

_That Hyper Beam is very dangerous. I gotta get Dragonite up close, but he won't come willingly knowing that Crabominable fights best at close-range._ Logan thought. "Crabominable, start with Stone Edge!"

Crabominable roared, and using his energy, he lifted tons of small stones from the ground before shooting them towards Dragonite.

"Let's finish this quickly. Fire Punch!"

Dragonite easily avoided the stones, and then flew towards Crabominable. His fist caught fire, and he swung for the Ice-type.

"Dynamic Punch!" Logan yelled.

Crabominable shifted his body back and then thrust one of his arms out. The two Pokémon's fists connected, sending a shockwave throughout the stadium.

"Toxic!" Logan ordered.

A purple goo started to leak from Crabominable's hand. It attached to Dragonite, and the Dragon-type in a panicked state, backed away. Suddenly, a purple energy surrounded Dragonite, and he let out a screech.

"What?!" Kenta yelled.

"Toxic," Yuta said. "Any and all Pokémon can learn it. It's one of the most dangerous moves in Pokémon battling. The longer this battle goes on, the more likely Dragonite is to succumb to the poison."

"Logan may actually win this," Luna mumbled. She stood up. "Logan, don't you dare lose now!"

"Ice Hammer, Crabominable!" Logan ordered.

His Pokémon lunged forward. He covered his fist with icy energy and swung at Dragonite, landing a direct hit on the Dragon-type's mid-section. Dragonite flew back a few feet, but was ultimately okay.

"Iron Tail," Kenta ordered.

Before Logan could make a counter attack, Dragonite darted in front of Crabominable. He swung his body around and smashed his tail into the Ice-type, flinging him across the battlefield. Dragonite turned to continue his attack, but the purple energy suddenly sapped his energy. He collapsed to the ground.

"That one was a bit stronger than the last," Kenta said to himself.

"Stone Edge!" Logan ordered.

Small stones burst from the smoke that engulfed Crabominable. The stones pelted Dragonite, and he fell back.

"Dragonite, Fire Punch!"

Dragonite quickly flew up into the air, his wings making a booming noise as he flapped them. His arm caught on fire, and he lunged at Crabominable, landing a direct hit. The Ice-type backed away, holding his cheek. Dragonite suddenly fell to the ground again, letting out another screech.

"If I don't land a finishing blow soon, then Dragonite is finished," Kenta said. His eyes were now filled with panic.

"Ice Hammer!" Logan yelled.

Crabominable lifted his arm and swung it downwards at Dragonite, but Kenta's Pokémon was quick and dodged.

"Hyper Beam!"

Dragonite quickly released a bright white energy beam from his mouth. The energy connected with Crabominable, and pushed the Ice-type against the wall before forcing him into the air. Crabominable's body was dragged across the stadium wall, and he collapsed once the attack stopped. Before the referee could make his call though, Crabominable forced himself to stand back up. He let out a battle cry, and Dragonite fell once more while the purple energy depleted his health.

Logan's heart thumped rapidly in his chest. This was the moment that he had waited so long for. He dreamt of fighting in the finals of a conference. He dreamt of winning it and going on to fight the Elite Four. And then, if he could defeat them, he'd get to challenge the champion. All of the doubt that he had before had been washed away. His loss to Mao. His loss to Luna. None of it mattered anymore. But his body shook. Whether it shook with nerves or adrenaline, he didn't know. All that he knew was that this battle was mere moments from being decided.

"This is our chance, Crabominable! Finish this with Ice Hammer!" Logan ordered. His Pokémon nodded and then charged forward as fast as its small legs would allow.

Dragonite stood still and breathed heavily. He looked at Crabominable with one eye and winced.

"Dragonite, I'm sorry, but we need to use it," Kenta said. Dragonite slowly nodded. "Outrage!"

Dragonite staggered but stood back up. His entire body began to glow a slight red. As soon as Crabominable swung his arm, Dragonite blocked. He then began to repeatedly strike Crabominable while screeching and howling. Arcane energy exploded off of his body with every strike. Every time Crabominable lifted his arms to block, Dragonite knocked them down and then struck the Ice-type directly in the face. Dragonite put his hands together and lunged at Crabominable once more, knocking him into the air. But before he could fly too far, Dragonite grabbed the Ice-type's leg and then tossed him back to the ground. Crabominable landed hard, and when the dust had settled, the result was clear. Dragonite landed back onto the battlefield and let out a roar.

Logan's hand stopped trembling. He looked out at Crabominable who had fought so hard before. He went over it all in his head. He went over the strategy that he created and the type-advantage that he had set for himself. He went over it all, but as he observed Crabominable's lifeless body, it became clear that it wasn't enough.

"Crabominable is unable to battle! Dragonite is the winner! Your victor and Ever Grande Conference Champion is Itou Kenta!" the referee declared as the crowd cheered.

Dragonite raised his arms into the air and cheered before he collapsed to the ground directly in front of Crabominable. Kenta and Logan walked out onto the field to their Pokémon.

"You did great, Crabominable," Logan said.

Kenta held his Pokémon's head in his arms. "Dragonite, you were amazing. That was so close, and I'm so proud of you."

"He lost," Yurie said. She held Torchic tightly in her arms. "I hope he's okay…"

"Logan, thank you for our battle today. You've taught me that I still have a long way to go, and because of our battle, I'm curious about the power of other Pokémon," Kenta said. He held out his hand. "It was a pleasure facing you in the finals."

Logan looked at Kenta's hand. He grinned and then shook it. "It was a blast! Let's battle again someday!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

I'm so relieved to have this arc finished. I do enjoy writing full battles, but boi. Writing Logan's final three battles was really fun, but I think a lot of the other battles, like Finn vs. Luna and Yuta vs. Asper, were a bit harder to write. Nonetheless, thank you for reading this behemoth of a final battle. I know that since Kenta was introduced in this chapter, it may be harder to connect with the battle itself, but I was wanting to take that risk. For the longest time, I had two endings written. One of them was Logan winning, but I think Logan's journey has a bit more fuel to it.

Next chapter, we'll start to wrap up the trio's journey in Hoenn.

We're going to move onto the next journey in a couple of weeks. I don't want to say who is going where (because spoilers), BUT I kind of want my readers to name the next story. I want to follow my regular naming convention like "**H**ealing in **H**oenn" and "**A**wakening **A**lola" but I'm unsure of how to go about it. Should I name the next story something like "Healing in Sinnoh" or should I try something like… for example "**S**hining in **S**innoh" or "**K**icking it in **K**anto"

So, option A - "Healing in _" or option B - "_ing in _o"

If you like option B, think you could give me ideas? I won't spoil where anyone is going right now, but if you had to make up a title (using my naming conventions) for a story in Kanto, Johto, or Sinnoh, what would you name it?


	71. Goodbye

**Edited June 25th 2020**

**Chapter 71 - Goodbye.**

* * *

Logan sat down at the fountain that was in front of the giant dome of Ever Grande City. He sighed, and looked out at the setting sun. The Ever Grande Conference was officially over, and most people had already left the city. They celebrated Kenta's win only a few hours ago, and people wanted to beat the rush. Only a few people remained.

"Can I join you?" a voice quietly asked. He turned to find Luna standing to his side. She held a small white packaging in her hand.

Logan moved over to create space even though it wasn't necessary. "Go ahead."

She sat down next to him and crossed her legs. "So, we both lost."

He nodded. "Yep."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I had some of the best matches of my life. I have no regrets."

Luna smiled and then waved her hand with the small packaging around playfully. She tore off the top of the wrapper and then pulled an orange flavored icy treat out. She grabbed both of the sticks with her hands and broke the popsicle in half, handing one half to Logan.

"For old time's sake?" Logan asked.

She nodded.

Logan took the popsicle and started to suck on it before quietly saying, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The two remained silent for a few moments.

"I'm sorry about what I did. I don't know why I did it the way that I did, but I'm sorry. I should have been honest with you," Logan said.

"I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you. You said you wanted to go our separate ways, and I wasn't ready for that."

"I always depended on you to help get me to the next level."

"And I always depended on you for emotional support."

Logan laughed. "Think we're both stronger now?"

"Of course."

They remained silent for a little while longer, sucking on their orange popsicles.

Logan smiled. "Thank you for staying to watch. You didn't have to."

Luna took a giant bite of her popsicle and then stood up. "I promised I'd always support you, Logan."

"Where you off to now?"

She started walking away. "I think I'll try Johto."

"I'll keep my eye on the news. I know you'll win."

"And you?"

Logan paused. "I haven't decided yet. But, wherever it is that I go next, I'm going to give it my all."

"Good luck, Logan." With that, Luna walked towards the sunset. Logan watched her until she was out of eyesight. He sighed, finished what remained of his half of the popsicle, and then stood back up. When he turned around, he noticed Yurie and Himawari standing by the fountain and looking at him.

"How long have you guys been there?" he asked.

Himawari laughed. "I assume you're not going to Johto?"

"I'm going to avoid it at all costs," Logan replied with a wide grin.

"We saw Finn off," Yurie said. "He said he's going to Galar."

"That'll be good for him. This was a fun little adventure, guys. I'm thinking I'll head back to Unova for a few days. I want to relax with all of my Pokémon for awhile."

Yurie looked down. "I see. I still haven't decided my next move."

"I'll be going back to Mauville. It's been a blast to do this all with you guys, but I've got my duties as a gym leader now," Himawari said. "But please, whatever it is you two do, keep me updated."

"This isn't goodbye yet, Himawari. We still have the ferry ride back," Logan said. He lightly punched Yurie's arm. "Let's get going."

The three all walked to the docks while they reminisced about their journeys together. The ferry ride would take a day, and during that time, they partied as a trio, and their Pokémon all enjoyed each other's company for what felt like would be the last time.

Logan's Mightyena and Manectric both played with Himawari's Luxio. Magnezone calmly floated above Torchic and Turtwig, acting as a sort of mother to them. Himawari's Raichu had pretend fights with Aggron while all of the others cheered them on.

Himawari looked out at his Luxio and the others. "It's a shame that we gotta break up this little group."

"Yeah…"

"I've been thinking. Feel free to say no. How about I take your Manectric off of your hands?" Himawari asked. "I'm sure it'll be better for him than being at a lab. He'll be with other Electric-type Pokémon."

Logan looked at his Manectric as he played with Luxio, and then he nodded. "That sounds perfect to me. It also gives me a real excuse to call you sometimes."

The two laughed, but Yurie stayed quiet.

The ferry ride, while long, felt incredibly short. Eventually, they arrived in Slateport City. And then they walked to Route 110, which is where Himawari was set to leave. They approached the familiar Trick House, and Himawari looked down his path. He sighed and scratched the back of his head.

"Welp, this is it," he said while he tried to hide his face from the other two. "Guess… guess I'm going to go be a gym leader now."

Logan stepped forward and grabbed Himawari's shoulders. He turned his friend around and then gave him a hug, but Himawari's arms stayed slumped to his sides. "You're going to be an awesome gym leader, buddy. You have dragon's blood."

Himawari laughed and then sniffled as tears started to roll down his cheeks. "I do have dragon's blood."

Logan let go of his hug and patted Himawari on the shoulders again, and then Yurie stepped forward. She had already started crying, so she instantly buried her head into Himawari's chest.

"Goodbye, Yurie."

"This isn't goodbye, stupid."

Himawari sniffled once more. "You're right. This isn't goodbye." He lifted his arms and squeezed her tightly.

Eventually, they let go, and Yurie backed up a few feet. Himawari stood straight and wiped the tears from his face.

"Okay! Here I go!" he choked out. He turned around and looked down his path. He was now on his own, but the past year prepared him for it all. "Wish me luck!"

"You don't need it."

Himawari nodded. He straightened his backpack, and then started to walk away.

"Jah…"

After a few moments, Himawari raised his hand and held out his thumb. With that, he took off running as fast as he could, tears following in his path. Within moments, he disappeared.

Yurie and Logan looked at one another, took deep breaths, and then they continued onto their own path. Silent almost the whole way, they walked through Route 103 and within a few hours, arrived in Oldale.

"One last dinner?" Yurie asked. Logan nodded. He wasn't ready.

* * *

"Gramps, I'm home," Himawari called as he entered the gym. He walked past the counter and then opened the doors to the battlefield. It was different from the last time that he was there. The field was black with glowing yellow lights serving as the markers for the trainer boxes.

"I feel like this matches your look," Tessen said as he noticed Himawari. "You're always in black clothes, and your blonde hair sticks out like lightning in the sky."

Himawari smiled as he took an even closer look at the field. "It's perfect, gramps. I'm excited to take over for you."

Tessen put his hand on Himawari's shoulder. "I'm excited to take a nice long vacation! I'm thinking Alola!"

Himawari laughed. He paused and took one long look at the field which would soon be his. He would protect this gym with all of his might, making sure that challengers had a rough time. "Think you can tell me about my mom?"

Tessen nodded. "Probably about time, ya."

* * *

"Dagojiru?" Logan wondered as the two received their food.

Yurie smiled. "You remembered the food's name!"

Logan nodded. "I definitely tried to." He secretly got a look at the menu as they entered the store.

"Itadakimasu!"

The two started to slowly eat, but they were oddly quiet. It was the first time that they had been alone for months, and they got so used to Himawari leading the conversations.

Eventually, Yurie spoke up. "Do you have a favorite food from Hoenn?"

Logan thought for a moment. "Omurice was really good. But my favorite was motsunabe." This time, he truly remembered the names of the food.

"That's what we had at Birch's!" she exclaimed. Logan nodded. Yurie was slightly taken aback. "It feels so long ago. This time last year, I hated the idea of going on an adventure. I hated the idea of leaving my mom, but now, I can't wait to see what's next."

"I understand that feeling."

Yurie slowly nodded. "So, what's next?"

Logan was deadpan in his expression, unsure of how to answer the question seriously. "Dessert."

The two finished their food and then ordered ice cream. It didn't take them very long to finish, and soon, they stood on the edge of Oldale Town and Route 101 where their journey together would come to an end.

"This is it," Yurie said. "You've still gotta go to Petalburg. Another day of walking for you." She laughed and then playfully punched him in the shoulder.

Logan grinned. "It's night time, so I'll deal with it. I also bought a pack of water bottles, so I'll be fine."

Yurie looked down Route 101. Her home and comfortable bed was only a couple hours away.

"Have you decided where you're going next?" Logan asked.

Yurie thought for a moment. "I'm going to Kanto. Michika will be there too, so I think it'll be fun."

"I see."

"And you?"

Logan shrugged. "I don't know yet. I'll get some rest in Unova, and then I'll go from there."

"I see."

Logan sighed and then turned. "Well, I guess I'll see you again sometime."

Yurie grabbed Logan's hand. "Logan…"

He didn't move, and it felt as though his heart had stopped beating. "Yeah?"

"When you figure out where you're going, let me know. I want to watch your battles when I can."

"And I'll make sure to catch all of your contests," he said. "I promise."

Yurie let go of his hand, and he started to walk away. "Promise?"

"Promise."

"Let me know!"

"I'll let you know."

Yurie bit her lip to help hold back her tears. "You better!"

Logan waved goodbye and walked away, never once turning his head. Mightyena followed in his steps, but the canine Pokémon occasionally cocked his head back towards Yurie, a look of sadness on his face.

Eventually, once Logan was out of sight, Yurie turned and looked down Route 101 once more. She smiled at Torchic. "Let's go home."

* * *

"Second place in the Hoenn league? Not bad," Logan's friend, Aaron said. He laughed. "Not bad at all."

Logan had been back in Unova for a few days, relaxing with his Pokémon and contemplating his next move. When Logan heard that Aaron was returning from his journey, he met with his old friend at the docks.

"I saw that you also placed second. Sinnoh sounds like a nice place."

Aaron nodded. "The weather is comparable to Unova, I guess. When it snowed, it came down hard." He picked up a stone and tried to skip it across the water, but it sank within a few leaps. He had a cool look to him, dirty blonde hair, and a keen fashion sense with the color blue, but he was clumsy. "I think you'd have a fun time there."

"Where are you going next?"

Aaron thought for a moment. "It's always hard to make that decision. Galar looks like it could be fun, but I also loved Johto and Sinnoh. I think I'd like to spend another year in that part of the world. I know I can win this time around, so either Hoenn or Kanto. And you?"

Logan looked down at his reflection in the water. His face had gotten considerably thinner since the last time that he was there, and the black hat that Yurie bought him now looked a bit too big for his head. "I don't know."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

So, I do plan on continuing Yurie's story, and because of that, she'll be doing contests in Kanto. Once again, I want to feature my readers' OC's in contests, so if some of you want to PM me about sending in a simple OC, then please do so. Otherwise, I'll be making up my own simple characters.

One more chapter. It'll go up tomorrow because I won't be able to post it when I'm on vacation.

Where do you see Logan going?


	72. Matcha

**Chapter 72 - Matcha**

* * *

It was the Hoenn summer once again.

Yurie laid in her futon and looked up at the ceiling. Torchic rested on her chest. She took in a deep breath, and Torchic looked up at her. It had been one week since she said goodbye to both Himawari and Logan.

Yurie had been gone for one year, and almost nothing about her room changed. The light blue curtains kept the sun out. The tatami mats that made up the floor were as clean as ever. Her clothes were neatly organized by color in her closet, although she had grown out of most of them because of her journey. The one change, a very small change, is that she now had a picture frame of her and her team of Pokémon displayed on her desk.

In the picture, she held onto Torchic while each of her other Pokémon all held onto a ribbon that they had helped earn over the past year.

"Torchic?" the Pokémon said quizzingly as he observed his trainer fight back tears, something she had constantly been doing for a week.

"I wish I would have told him how I felt," she replied. "I wish we could travel more."

"Tor-chic."

"I mean, me and you will travel more! Don't get me wrong, but…" she started. One tear rolled down her cheek. "I'm so stupid. I didn't even hug him."

"Yurie!" her mom's voice called. "Can you come down here please?"

Yurie groaned. She lifted Torchic off of her, stood up from the futon, and then walked towards the door. "Let's go, Torchic." She then went down the stairs to greet her mom.

"I have to say, your Aggron has really taken a liking to the flower shop," Yuriko said while watching the Steel-type take in the smell of the flowers. Masquerain rested on his head and looked curiously at the different colors. "I might just have to ask you to let them stay here with me."

Yurie smiled. "Aggron has finally found some peace. Did you need something?"

"Oh yes! I received a call from Professor Birch! He needs you to go to his lab when you get the chance."

"Is it urgent?" Yurie asked.

Yuriko shrugged. "I'm not positive! But, if you would be a dear and take these flowers to the lab for me, that would be wonderful!" She handed over a small bouquet of white flowers.

"Daffodils?"

"For new beginnings, dear!"

Yurie had walked to Professor Birch's lab hundreds of times before, and this time felt no different. Torchic followed her closely as Yurie walked down the familiar path slowly and silently.

Littleroot Town was always a quiet place, and the people who lived there were friendly. They would wave at Yurie as she passed by. She used to be known as the daughter of the cute flower lady, but since she performed so well previously, there was a new sense of pride that the townsfolk had for her.

Yurie stopped walking when a familiar face appeared on the road. Standing in front of her in an unbuttoned green flannel shirt and dark green pants was Yuta. On his face there was a rare, but genuine, smile.

"Hey, Yurie," he said. "Enjoying the summer?" Behind his leg a small creature with a round blue face shyly peeked out.

"I've slept a lot."

"You'll get fat."

"Shut up!"

Yuta simply laughed to himself. "Where you off to? Delivery?" He motioned towards the two flowers that Yurie held tightly.

"Yeah. Birch ordered these. I've been pretty bored, so it gets me out of the house. And you?"

"Me and my new companion are going to Slateport to get on a ferry to Kanto."

"So, you're off on your next journey? And when did you get your new friend?"

Yuta knelt down and picked up the Pokémon. It retracted into its shell, and Yuta chuckled. "My mom has been very busy with work since dad passed away. She's been breeding Pokémon like crazy, and she miscounted, so I got a free Squirtle."

"It's cute."

"He'll become very strong."

"Good luck on your journey. Maybe I'll see you around sometime?"

"Maybe. I think I'm gonna learn from you, and I'm going to find someone to travel with. It'd be nice to have a training partner, I guess."

"You got lonely? Maybe you'll finally get a girlfriend."

Yuta didn't respond. Instead, he just put his Pokémon back on the ground and then continued, walking past Yurie. "See you around, Little Miss Yurie."

Yurie didn't watch him walk away, but instead chose to continue forward on her path. It wasn't long, and Yurie and Torchic arrived at Birch's door. She knocked softly.

Birch opened the door wide and smiled as soon as he saw Yurie. "Little Miss Yurie!" he cried out.

"My mom said that you ordered these flowers," Yurie said as she held the daffodils out.

He shook his head. "I-I did not. But I'm happy to see you anyways. You should come in and drink some tea!"

"If there was a mistake, then I have to get back home so these don't wilt."

"We have a vase that we can use. I insist! I insist!" he said with a boisterous voice.

Yurie slowly thought about it and then nodded. She walked in, and Birch led her to the kitchen where Tania was making tea. She poured boiling green tea into a small glass cup that was painted blue, and Yurie sipped it carefully.

"So, you really turned out to be a little firecracker!" Birch exclaimed. "We were all blown away by your performance in the Hoenn Grand Festival."

"Thank you."

"Everyone came from all around! We had a viewing party in my backyard! Everyone was so proud of you and Yui!"

"I gotta admit that I was wrong about you," Tania said. "You have some natural talent."

"I had a really good teacher."

"How's the tea?" Birch asked.

"Bitter, but that's matcha for you," Yurie said quietly.

"Do you think he'll like it?" Birch wondered.

Yurie perked her head up. "Who?"

Before Birch could answer, the doorbell sounded. Tania stood up and walked out of the kitchen.

Birch laughed. "Anyways, you were able to master Mega Evolution with your Aggron. We were all blown away when we saw it on TV! What immense power!"

Yurie nodded. "It's like nothing I can explain. The energy that comes from the mega stone is unbelievable."

Suddenly, Yurie felt a slight tug on her hair, and then everything went black. Something covered her eyes, and she quickly pulled it off of her head and looked at it. In her hands, she held a black hat with a white Poké Ball insignia sewn on the front. She jolted around to find Logan standing directly behind her chair. His hair was now slightly shorter than when they last met.

"Brought me flowers, huh?" Logan asked.

"Logan!" Yurie yelled. She shot up and gave her friend a hug. "You-You're here!"

"Yeah," Logan laughed. He gently pried himself from Yurie and then took the seat next to hers.

"Torchic!" the Pokémon said happily as he reunited with Logan's Mightyena.

"I've decided where I'm going next, so I figured I should let you know."

"What? Where?"

Logan winked. "Kanto!"

Yurie sighed as her entire body felt the sudden sensation of relief. She started to chuckle nervously. She had bottled up her emotions for one full week and had no clue how to handle herself at the moment.

"And I wanted to ask you something, Yurie."

"What? Me? Ask me something? Ask me what?"

"Yeah. Something I probably should have asked a long time ago." Logan took a drink from the tea that Tania had poured from him.

"What?" her face went red. People don't just say things like that.

Logan appeared physically nervous, and he gulped down one more drink of green tea. "D-do you want to travel with me?"

Yurie smiled, and she put her face into her hands, taking in a sigh of relief. "Of course!"

Logan laughed nervously as the weight of the world was finally lifted off of his shoulders. "Well then. Off to Kanto we go!"

"B-but first! Drink the tea!"

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

When I first came to Japan, I joined a tea club, so I think it's fitting to have the last chapter be titled Matcha. At first, I hated the tea, but now it's something that I find very soothing. Yeah.

And so, Healing in Hoenn ends. This was so fun to write. Sorry for posting the past five chapters in quick succession. I'll be starting their next journey in two weeks or so (taking a small vacation to Tokyo). I still need to think of a good title for their journey through Kanto. But first, I want to give myself a small posting break with Logan and Yurie's journey. Awakening Alola will continue posting schedule for the time being (if I have the time to post). I guess I can give you two weeks to get caught up on that! It's gonna get intense! It'll start tying into Logan's story soon-ish.

Before I move on, I want to thank everyone (as of writing this) for reviewing. Thank you so much to wisdom-jewel for your support from the beginning. Thanks to pokestets23 for your OC and being my friend. Thanks to Crescent Night for the insightful review. Big thanks to mortiz555 for all of the reviews and reading everything I put out. Another big thanks to pokemonking0924 for all of the lengthy reviews. Thanks to the Imprisoned of Hell for John Manson. Thanks to Eevium Z for her OC. Thanks to WyldClaw for all of the short and simple reviews. A HUGE thanks to Besprizornye for their very thoughtful reviews. They are an extremely talented writer, and I can't recommend their stuff enough. And finally, a big thanks to UKEagleClaw for fun discussions and all of the reviews. I highly recommend reading his story "Pokemon: Infinite Legacies." He's a wonderful writer with a lot of good ideas. Thank you all so much!

Thanks for reading Healing in Hoenn. I'm very happy with how it turned out even if there are things I wish I could improve on. I know it was a lot, but I hope that you enjoyed the characters and their little adventures. I hope I'm able to make their next journey just as entertaining. It'll be following a more original path.

Till next time.


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